Scientists think the first bird extinction in mainland Europe has happened

Scientists think the first known bird extinction in mainland Europe has occurred with a 99.6 per cent chance it no longer exists.

When we think about extinction events, most people’s minds will turn to animals like the dinosaurs and woolly mammoths but there are several animals that have been declared extinct within the last few years.

The migratory slender-billed curlew bird is one of those now thought to have become extinct. The shorebird used to be found in West Asia, mainland Europe and North Africa, but no one has seen one since it was last spotted in Morocco in February 1995.

It is thought habitat loss, hunting, pollution, disease and climate change have all contributed to its demise.

The slender-billed curlew bird has not been seen since February 1995 / iStock

A search has been underway for it spanning the last three decades but a coalition of scientists and experts believe enough time has passed without spotting one for the slender-billed curlew species to be considered extinct.

Research published in a study about the species concluded there is a 99.6 per cent chance the bird no longer exists.

Despite this, there have been cases where an animal believed to have gone extinct has made a remarkable reappearance.

In order for a species to be declared absolutely extinct, the governing body the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) has to make it official, which they have not yet done for the slender-billed curlew.

For now, the bird remains under the Critically Endangered category, with the governing body looking over evidence to make its decision.

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