New project launched to prevent Grenada Dove extinction
University of Chester scientists working with conservation partners to secure the future of one of the world’s rarest birds
A species on the brink
New research led by the University of Chester is aiming to prevent the extinction of the Grenada Dove, one of the world’s rarest birds. Endemic to the Caribbean island of Grenada, the species is classified as Critically Endangered and survives in only a handful of small, fragmented sites.
The Grenada Dove, Leptotila wellsi, is the island’s national bird, yet its population is thought to number only a few dozen individuals. Habitat loss, development pressure, invasive predators and extreme weather events have combined to push the species to the edge.
Understanding what the doves need
Researchers from the University of Chester are working with local and international conservation partners to better understand the dove’s habitat requirements, behaviour and breeding ecology. By identifying the precise conditions the birds need to survive and reproduce, the team hopes to inform more targeted conservation action.
Much of the remaining population is restricted to dry forest habitats, which have been heavily reduced and degraded. Understanding how the birds use these landscapes - and how they respond to disturbance - is considered essential to designing effective management plans.
Habitat under pressure
Grenada’s limited land area and growing development pressures mean that remaining dry forest is vulnerable to clearance and fragmentation. Invasive mammals such as mongooses, rats and feral cats are also thought to impact nesting success.
Climate change adds further uncertainty, with hurricanes and prolonged droughts posing additional threats to already small populations confined to isolated patches of habitat.
From research to action
The University of Chester project aims not only to gather data but to translate findings into practical conservation measures. This could include habitat restoration, predator management and improved protection of key sites.
By combining field research with collaboration between academic institutions, local authorities and conservation organisations, the initiative hopes to build a long-term strategy that gives the species a realistic chance of survival.
A race against time
With numbers so low, every breeding season is critical. Small populations are especially vulnerable to random events, from storms to disease outbreaks, and can suffer from reduced genetic diversity.
The researchers stress that swift, evidence-based intervention is needed to prevent the Grenada Dove from becoming another island extinction. For a bird found nowhere else on Earth, the stakes could hardly be higher.
February 2026
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