Carnaby’s Cockatoos live up to 35 years in the wild, so conservation efforts for adults are vital

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-11-28 00:01

Australia; WA

What does this mean?

Jump to: MultimediaAttachmentsExpert Reaction

Aussie researchers say Carnaby's cockatoos (Zanda latirostris), which are only found in south-western Australia, can live to the ripe old age of 35 in the wild. Because the birds take several years to reach reproductive age and don't have many chicks each, it's important they can live out their long lifespans for the species to be sustainable, they say. That means conservation efforts should focus not just on juvenile cockies, they say, but also aim to conserve older adults. The team looked at eight wild birds and found their ages ranged from 21 to 35 years old, and say this puts this species in the top 2% of all wild bird species in terms of longevity.