The Mauritius Parakeet (Psittacula eques echo), also known as Echo Parakeet, is the sole survivor of the Psittacula species which inhabited the southern Indian ocean islands near Madagascar. Its local name is katover.
Taxonomy
Its scientific name change from Psittacula echo had recently found widespread approval. A wealth of circumstantial evidence nowadays suggests that the hypothesized Réunion Parakeet (described earlier as Psittacula eques, based on a painting and hearsay reports) did indeed exist. The Réunion birds were the closest relatives, and presumably conspecific, with the Mauritius ones.
On the other hand, a recent review argued to maintain species status for the time being. A study skin had been discovered at the Royal Museum of Scotland, explicitly referencing a book description of the Réunion birds. This may be the only material proof of these birds' existence, or be from Mauritius. Even in that case, ancient DNA analysis of this specimen will give new insight into these questions, because very little data exists on the genetic diversity of the Mauritius Parakeet in former times.
In any case, the Réunion and Mauritius birds certainly formed a clade. Until the new DNA data is available - and even then only if it would show a significant difference -, it is really a matter of opinion whether one follows a lumper or a splitter approach.
Description
It is generally similar to the Rose-ringed Parakeet"?its closest living relative"?except that the Mascarenes bird is a stockier species with a markedly shorter tail and a more intensive emerald green. The females lack the neck collar, and notably possess an all-black beak, unlike the males which have a red upper beak. The latter feature is notably absent in the Rose-ringed Parakeet as well as the Alexandrine Parakeet, which is also generally similar and not too distantly related. However, it is found in the Red-breasted Parakeet, the Derbyan Parakeet and the Nicobar Parakeet which are morphologically dissimilar and apparently very closely related among each other, though not to the Mauritius Parakeet or its immediate relatives.
Decline to near-extinction and recovery
The Mauritius Parakeet is one of the most remarkable successes of conservation biology. In the early 1980s, this parakeet was almost extinct. The roughly 10 birds that were left had hardly ever bred successfully since some 10 years before for the lack of suitable trees, nest predation, disturbance by humans and feral pigs and deer, and competition with more plentiful bird species including the introduced Rose-ringed Parakeet; the Mauritius Parakeet seemed doomed to extinction. But with the team of Carl Jones (of Mauritius Kestrel and Last Chance to See fame) taking over, a dedicated research and conservation effort was launched to save the birds. By the late 1980s, the situation had at stabilized - though at a precariously low level - and more young birds were being hatched. By the mid-1990s, some 50-60 individuals were known altogether (including young birds) and an intensive management of the wild population by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation could begin. These efforts paid off handsomely; by January 2000, the population had exceeded 100 birds total. Since then, the rapid recovery has continued. The total wild population is presently some 280-300 individuals of which some 200 are adult, half of which being breeding pairs and most of the other half single males. A captive fall-back population is held at the Gerald Durrell Endemic Wildlife Sanctuary.
2007 downlisting to Endangered status
Recognizing that the Mauritius Parakeet was not acutely threatened with extinction anymore but "merely" very rare, it is downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered in the 2007 IUCN Red List. The goal for the near future is to have a stable population of 300 mature birds in the wild by 2010, and it is most likely that this will be achieved. At present, not all remaining and reconstituted habitat is utilized by the birds, so that the population will continue to expand in the near future. It is still threatened by unforeseeable events like tropical cyclones and psittacine beak and feather disease, the impact of which is at present unknown, and of course the threats which had brought it to near-extinction only some two decades ago continue to hamper its recovery.
