Edward woodwood
Member
well, although it's been known about for a few weeks it's now in the public domain. I'm a happy boy today! Gonna have a beer tonite... B 
World's largest 'Jewel-thrush' population found
29-06-2004
The world's largest population of the critically endangered Gurney's Pitta has been found in forest adjacent to the proposed Lenya National Park in Southern Myanmar.
The surveys were conducted by a team of conservationists from BirdLife International, the Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association (BANCA), and the Myanmar Department of Forests. Around 150 contacts with Gurney's Pitta Pitta gurneyi were recorded, a species sometimes called the "Jewel-thrush" – one of the rarest and most beautiful birds on Earth.
This new population is likely to number in the region of several hundred pairs of Gurney's Pittas, offering renewned hope for a species which, as recently as 2003, had a known world population of less than 20 birds.
"Our surveys show that Ngawun Reserve Forest is of international importance for Gurney's Pitta and other threatened species." —Jonathan Eames, BirdLife International – Indochina
Jonathan Eames, Programme Manager of BirdLife International in the region and a member of the survey team, said: "Our surveys show that Ngawun Reserve Forest is of international importance for Gurney's Pitta and other threatened species. The fact that Ngawun Reserve Forest is adjacent to the proposed Lenya National Park presents the Government of Myanmar with a tremendous conservation opportunity. If these areas were combined, through a modification of the proposed boundaries to Lenya National Park, it would conserve a representative example of the wildlife and forests that once cloaked southern Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand."
Dr Michael Rands, Director and Chief Executive of BirdLife International commented, "The Government of Myanmar has already shown tremendous foresight in designating the two million hectare Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary earlier this year, and we hope that they can show a similar commitment towards conservation of this globally important area too. If invited, BirdLife would be delighted to join the Ministry of Forestry, other NGOs and concerned organisations to promote and secure the conservation of Ngawun Reserve Forest and the proposed Lenya National Park."
World's largest 'Jewel-thrush' population found
29-06-2004
The world's largest population of the critically endangered Gurney's Pitta has been found in forest adjacent to the proposed Lenya National Park in Southern Myanmar.
The surveys were conducted by a team of conservationists from BirdLife International, the Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association (BANCA), and the Myanmar Department of Forests. Around 150 contacts with Gurney's Pitta Pitta gurneyi were recorded, a species sometimes called the "Jewel-thrush" – one of the rarest and most beautiful birds on Earth.
This new population is likely to number in the region of several hundred pairs of Gurney's Pittas, offering renewned hope for a species which, as recently as 2003, had a known world population of less than 20 birds.
"Our surveys show that Ngawun Reserve Forest is of international importance for Gurney's Pitta and other threatened species." —Jonathan Eames, BirdLife International – Indochina
Jonathan Eames, Programme Manager of BirdLife International in the region and a member of the survey team, said: "Our surveys show that Ngawun Reserve Forest is of international importance for Gurney's Pitta and other threatened species. The fact that Ngawun Reserve Forest is adjacent to the proposed Lenya National Park presents the Government of Myanmar with a tremendous conservation opportunity. If these areas were combined, through a modification of the proposed boundaries to Lenya National Park, it would conserve a representative example of the wildlife and forests that once cloaked southern Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand."
Dr Michael Rands, Director and Chief Executive of BirdLife International commented, "The Government of Myanmar has already shown tremendous foresight in designating the two million hectare Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary earlier this year, and we hope that they can show a similar commitment towards conservation of this globally important area too. If invited, BirdLife would be delighted to join the Ministry of Forestry, other NGOs and concerned organisations to promote and secure the conservation of Ngawun Reserve Forest and the proposed Lenya National Park."
