(Re)here is the New British goshawk:he hadn't been seen for 55 years

This extremely rare bird had not been sighted or photographed for 55 years:the shot comes from Pomio, in eastern New Britain.And for the WWF this is excellent news

ROME – The New British goshawk (Accipiter princeps) has been sighted and photographed for the first time in many decades, as internationally renowned ornithologists confirm.Classified as vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, this rare bird of prey is found only in New Britain, island of Papua New Guinea, in the South West Pacific.
“I took part in a WWF trip to Pomio in eastern New Britain, along with three members of the local community who guided us through the forest to learn more about the species there.I photographed several birds, including the New British goshawk, but I didn't know its importance at the time,” said Tom Vierus, a Fijian photographer and author of the very rare shot.

WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH FOR 55 YEARS

After confirming that the photographed bird is indeed the New British goshawk, John Mittermeier, director of the Search for Lost Bird at the American Bird Conservancy, said:“The last scientific documentation of the species in this area appears to date back to July 1969 and concerns a specimen preserved at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, in the United States.Although others were recorded in subsequent years numerous sightings, the New British goshawk appears to be escaped photographic and audio documentation for 55 years”.The photograph and further details are now available on the Search for Lost Birds and iNaturalist websites.

IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE IT IS CALLED 'KEANGO' OR 'KULINGAPA'

The photo was taken at Pomio, eastern New Britain.Oscar Pileng, born in Pomio and head of the local WWF, declared:“I spoke about this discovery with residents of the area where the New British goshawk was photographed.They said that this species is decidedly rare in Pomio.Some have confirmed that the goshawk is not usually found in coastal areas, but only in the hinterland of Pomio, and which is rarely sighted".In local languages, the New British goshawk is called 'keango' or 'kulingapa'.“I was surprised to learn that this is the first time it has been photographed, but I am very happy that there is now an official global document and I hope that this will lead to greater efforts to protect its habitat from threats related to the spread of intensive agriculture on large scale, logging, mining and widespread infrastructure development,” Pileng added.

NEW GUINEA FUNDAMENTAL FOR BIODIVERTS

At the invitation of local communities and government representatives, WWF is trying to step up conservation efforts in Papua New Guinea, expanding their work to Pomio in eastern New Britain, the very area where the photo was taken.Here they are indigenous populations Mengen and Mamusi largely maintain intact traditions and beliefs related to forests, rivers and oceans.By working closely with these communities, WWF hopes to support local management for safeguard the future of these incredible biodiversity hotspots through community-led conservation actions.WWF Belgium funded the initial phase of this new project, with the initial trip to Pomio in March 2024 being a key first step.

“In New Britain they were led very few studies on biodiversity and the potential for discovering species new to science is quite high.But it is a race to protect them, with the pressures looming and the poverty widespread in these territories.WWF has initiated a collaborative process to understand threats, livelihood opportunities and social contexts, so we can collectively develop a comprehensive conservation program, which also takes into account the well-being of local communities.We are actively seeking partners to help us carry out this important work,” said Martha Eimba, Pomio Landscape Manager at WWF-Papua New Guinea.

THE LARGEST TROPICAL FOREST IN THE WORLD

Papua New Guinea hosts the third largest intact tropical forest in the world, after the Amazon and Congo basins.With more than 5,000 lakes, extensive river systems and wetlands, over 8,000 kilometers of mangrove swamps, lagoons, coral reefs and atolls, the country has remarkable diversity in terms of species, landscapes and ecosystems.The Papua New Guinea Government is currently reviewing its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan ahead of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, which will be held in Colombia in October 2024.
The forests in which the bird of prey was photographed are part of the Nakanai Ranges, a rugged and extraordinarily biodiverse expanse of green-dotted mountains that form a section of Papua New Guinea's Sublime Karsts, a provisional UNESCO World Heritage Site.Scientists estimate that the Ranges have existed for 22.5-10.5 million years.