Our Mission
To ensure the continued existence of Pacific Island birds that are under threat from introduced species and habitat loss. We do this by utilizing the expertise and resources of zoos to assist local conservation efforts.
To ensure the continued existence of Pacific Island birds that are under threat from introduced species and habitat loss. We do this by utilizing the expertise and resources of zoos to assist local conservation efforts.
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Background
Our signature project, the Mariana Avifauna Conservation (MAC) program began when the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Fish and Wildlife (CNMI DFW), contacted Peter Luscomb, general curator of the Honolulu Zoo and Herb Roberts curator of birds at the Memphis Zoo to see if zoos would be able to develop captive breeding programs for the endemic bird species found in CNMI. The CNMI wanted their birds to be in captive programs as a safe guard against the potential establishment of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) in the archipelago. The brown tree snake was accidentally introduced to the island of Guam in the 1950's and subsequently devastated the island's entire avian community.
After reviewing what resources and expertise zoos could provide the CNMI, it was felt that the techniques we have developed to capture, hold, acclimate and transport birds would be ideally suited to moving birds to both the northern uninhabited islands of the Mariana chain and zoos where the threat of the brown tree snake is minimal.
Pacific Bird Conservation (PBC) is classified as a Non Profit 501 (C) (3) in the State of Hawaii. PBC was formed in 2012 by Peter Luscomb and Herb Roberts as a way to coordinate and support the use of zoo expertise and resources in the conservation of Pacific island birds. PBC evolved out of the MAC Program, which is currently our biggest endeavor.
PBC and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) zoos maintain captive populations of birds as a safe guard in case of stochastic events but our main goal is maintaining habitat and wild populations of birds. Pacific Bird Conservation was started as a means to aide Pacific nations in the conservation of their native bird life for future generations to come.
Our signature project, the Mariana Avifauna Conservation (MAC) program began when the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Fish and Wildlife (CNMI DFW), contacted Peter Luscomb, general curator of the Honolulu Zoo and Herb Roberts curator of birds at the Memphis Zoo to see if zoos would be able to develop captive breeding programs for the endemic bird species found in CNMI. The CNMI wanted their birds to be in captive programs as a safe guard against the potential establishment of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) in the archipelago. The brown tree snake was accidentally introduced to the island of Guam in the 1950's and subsequently devastated the island's entire avian community.
After reviewing what resources and expertise zoos could provide the CNMI, it was felt that the techniques we have developed to capture, hold, acclimate and transport birds would be ideally suited to moving birds to both the northern uninhabited islands of the Mariana chain and zoos where the threat of the brown tree snake is minimal.
Pacific Bird Conservation (PBC) is classified as a Non Profit 501 (C) (3) in the State of Hawaii. PBC was formed in 2012 by Peter Luscomb and Herb Roberts as a way to coordinate and support the use of zoo expertise and resources in the conservation of Pacific island birds. PBC evolved out of the MAC Program, which is currently our biggest endeavor.
PBC and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) zoos maintain captive populations of birds as a safe guard in case of stochastic events but our main goal is maintaining habitat and wild populations of birds. Pacific Bird Conservation was started as a means to aide Pacific nations in the conservation of their native bird life for future generations to come.
Photo Credit - Kasey Clarke & Megan Dalton USFWS
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