By Tim Binnall
An intriguing new study suggests that, rather than being extinct, the famed ivory-billed woodpecker may actually still be alive in remote parts of the Louisiana woodland. The remarkable findings are reportedly the result of a decade-long project wherein a team of researchers captured what they contend to be proof for the bird's continued existence. Last 'officially' seen by scientists in 1944, the sizeable creature had been deemed endangered until last year when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared it to be extinct. However, a newly published paper detailing the Louisiana project has cast considerable doubt on that conclusion.
The ambitious endeavor saw researchers utilize trail cameras, drones, and on-site expeditions within an unspecified area of the "bottomland hardwood forests" of Louisiana in search of the elusive bird. Aviary conservationist Steve Latta, who led the project, revealed that every member of the team managed to both catch a glimpse of the bird with their own eyes and also heard its highly unique call. Recalling his own sighting of the creature, he marveled that "I was visibly shaking afterwards. You realize you've seen something special that very few people had the opportunity to see."
Beyond those field observations, the researchers contend that they have fairly solid proof for the bird's existence via photos captured by their trail cameras, which were placed in strategic areas where is was suspected that the hard-to-find creature had been seen or heard. While the images are admittedly difficult for a layperson to decipher, since they seemingly just show the silhouette of a sizeable woodpecker, the team's expert analysis of the creature's shape and characteristics compared to other species of birds known to reside in the region indicates that, in their opinion, the animal in the pictures is the 'extinct' ivory-billed woodpecker.
As of now, the paper detailing the team's research has yet to be peer-reviewed, although a biologist who previously embarked on his own quest to find the legendary bird called the findings "very interesting" and posited that the creature photographed by the trail cams was probably the ivory-billed woodpecker. It remains to be seen whether or not the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will change their assessment of the animal's status, though one suspects that more tangible evidence may be needed to fully convince scientists who believe that the bird is no longer with us. At the very least, it should inspire additional expeditions and research from other parties interested in proving that the woodpecker still exists.