They were trans-located to Palmyra Atoll for the Sihek Recovery Program back in august. These vibrant birds are 'flourishing' in the tropical forests of this national wildlife refuge, away from the invasive brown tree snakes, according to these experts. “There haven’t been any wild Sihek as we know for over 36 years so this is really our first chance to see the species back out in a wild setting. It's an incredible opportunity to learn as much as we possibly can about them,” said Caitlin Andrews, Bird Conservation Specialist.
Andrews, alongside Senior Bird Conservation Specialist Kayla Baker, and Guam Department of Agriculture’s Division of Aquatics and Wildlife Resources Biologist Tomona Lapitan make up the newest team at Palmyra. “It's amazing, the opportunity to come out here and pursue a career as a biologist, work and learn alongside a wonderful team right here, and especially to see and study these birds out in the wild as it’s a native species close to home,” said Lapitan. They continue to observe the birds’ behavior to see how well they transition from zoos to the wild.
