{
  "id": 1470688,
  "title": "Only a few hundred Timor green pigeons may remain. There is still time to save them",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/only-a-few-hundred-timor-green-pigeons-may-remain-there-is-still-time",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-17T11:10:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/only-a-few-hundred-timor-green-pigeons-may-remain-there-is-still-time-to-save-them/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In April 2023, Jafet Potenzo Lopes, a resident of Manatuto municipality on the south coast of Timor-Leste, observed three green pigeons, a species he hadn't seen in years. This discovery was significant as the Timor green pigeon was believed to be nearing extinction. The latest estimates, published in Oryx in 2023, suggest a global population of only 100-500 individuals across eight sites, with the number potentially closer to the lower end of that range. Nino Konis Santana National Park in eastern Timor-Leste is thought to host more than 50 of these birds, while the remaining population is believed to be concentrated in Timor-Leste.\n\nIndonesia, where many of the older records of the Timor green pigeon came from, may already have lost the species, with most of the remaining birds found in Timor-Leste. These pigeons are particularly vulnerable to hunting, as they congregate at fruiting trees and are easily caught if one bird is shot, causing the rest to remain in the canopy. Despite being found in protected areas, the conservation efforts for the Timor green pigeon have been hampered by a lack of funding. The researchers have recommended changing the species' status on the IUCN Red List from endangered to critically endangered.",
  "summary": "Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. On April 20, on the south coast of Timor-Leste, Jafet Potenzo Lopes saw three green pigeons. He had not seen the species for years. The birds were Timor green pigeons, and the site, in Manatuto municipality, had no […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Only 100-500 Timor green pigeons remain globally.",
    "Nino Konis Santana National Park hosts over 50 birds.",
    "Conservation efforts hindered by funding shortage."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}