Only 2,000 Yellow-Crested Cockatoos Survive as Genetic Studies Rewrite Conservation Strategies

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HKU researchers found only 2,000 Yellow-crested Cockatoos survive in the wild, sparking urgent genetic studies for their conservation.

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Scientists used genome research for the first time to study Sulphur-crested and Yellow-crested Cockatoos, previously identified only by looks.

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Triton Cockatoo, misidentified for 100 years as Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, confirmed as separate species through genetic analysis.

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Sulphur-crested Cockatoos inhabit Australia and a small portion of southern New Guinea, while Triton Cockatoos dominate New Guinea's landscape.

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Wrong species reintroduction could lead to harmful hybridization between Triton and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos.

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Scientists extracted DNA from 100-year-old museum specimens to study Yellow-crested Cockatoo genetics without disturbing wild birds.

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Research reduced Yellow-crested Cockatoo subspecies from seven to three genetic groups across Wallacean region.

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Scientists discovered C. s. abbotti cockatoos on a remote Indonesian island, raising questions about their migration patterns.

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Genetic data becomes crucial for protecting endangered cockatoos and updating global wildlife protection laws.

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