Rare pink pigeon successfully reared at zoo

A pink pigeon has been cared for by keepers at Paignton Zoo

A rare pink-coloured pigeon has been successfully hand-reared by staff at a Devon zoo.

Paignton Zoo said its bird team had cared for a pink pigeon, a species endemic to Mauritius considered to be endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

According to wildlife organisation Birdlife, the global population of pink pigeons was as low as nine in 1991.

The zoo said a technique by one of their bird-keepers Tom Tooley involving attaching a catheter to a syringe which can be gently placed on a baby bird's tongue during feeding, had helped it rear the species for the first time.

Tom Tooley has developed an internationally recognised technique to help boost pink pigeon populations

Mr Tooley's technique has been taught across the world, but the recent rearing of the pink pigeon at the zoo was the first time it had been done there.

Stephen Kings, chief executive officer for Wild Planet Trust, who run Paignton Zoo, said the rearing of the pink pigeon had marked a "fantastic year" for the site's bird breeding programmes.

Mr Kings said: "Tom’s skilled approach to hand-rearing this squab, along with the collaborative efforts of our dedicated bird team, is yet another testament to our zoo-based expertise in wildlife conservation."

The pink pigeon squab was hand-reared by Paignton Zoo’s bird keepers

Other breeding successes at the zoo in 2024 include the flamingo programme which produced a number of healthy chicks, including one raised by a same-sex pair.

In April the zoo also celebrated the successful fledging of a Socorro dove, a species extinct in the wild.