Assessments of Maleo Macrocephalon maleo nesting grounds in South-east Sulawesi reveal severely threatened populations

Abstract

SummaryThe Maleo Macrocephalon Maleo is a megapode bird endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia, that lays large eggs at communal nesting grounds in naturally-heated sands or soils. It is classified as ‘Endangered’ and many populations have been extirpated due to overexploitation of eggs and loss of connectivity between forest and nesting grounds. The distribution and status of nesting grounds across Northern and Central Sulawesi are relatively well-established, but almost nothing is known about potential Maleo populations of South-east Sulawesi. In this study we used previously established methods to formally assess the status of three Maleo nesting grounds in Buton, South-east Sulawesi, and interviewed egg collectors at these three sites to determine the trends of populations and threats over time. All nesting grounds were severely threatened and can be expected to be abandoned in the near future due to extensive harvest of eggs and deforestation. Eggs were collected both for the wildlife trade (intensively harvested and sold as luxury items to people from distant cities) and local use (opportunistically harvested and both eaten and sold locally). All egg collectors remarked on an increase in illegal logging around nesting grounds over the previous decade. Though the Maleo’s current situation is dire, previous case studies show that collaborative grassroots initiatives supported by government and NGOs can protect nesting grounds and reverse population declines.

Full Issue

“…Nests communally on beaches or volcanically heated soil, with many nesting sites now abandoned due to overcollection of eggs (Coates & Bishop 1997, Eaton et al 2021. All known Buton breeding sites have experienced severe habitat degradation (Froese & Mustari 2019), and this species has recently been upgraded from Endangered to Critically Endangered due to ongoing degradation of its nesting sites (IUCN 2021). A juvenile male was recorded in agricultural land abutting Kakenauwe Natural Reserve in central Buton on 1 August 2014 by TEM & JN (Martin et al 2017a) (Table 2, Table S1, ML 709329).…”

DNA barcoding of Macrocephalon maleo originating from Sulawesi, Indonesia

“…The Maleo Senkawor bird (Macrocephalon maleo Sal. Muller, 1846) is an iconic endemic bird of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia (Butchart and Baker 2000;Frose and Mustari 2019;Yuni and Yuda 2020;Tasirin et al 2021). This bird is unique to the Megapodiidae family because the strategy in incubating its eggs has changed completely depending on environmental heat sources (Harris et al 2014;Frose and Mustari 2019).…”

“…Muller, 1846) is an iconic endemic bird of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia (Butchart and Baker 2000;Frose and Mustari 2019;Yuni and Yuda 2020;Tasirin et al 2021). This bird is unique to the Megapodiidae family because the strategy in incubating its eggs has changed completely depending on environmental heat sources (Harris et al 2014;Frose and Mustari 2019). Previous studies stated that there was a sharp decline in the population of the Maleo Senkawor (Frose and Mustari 2019;BirdLife 2021).…”

Eggshell membrane for DNA sexing of the endangered Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo)

“…Due to its small, severely fragmented population and continued rapid decline, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified Maleo as an endangered species 27 . Among the major threats are the over-exploitation of eggs and loss of connectivity between forest and nesting grounds 28 . To minimize these threats at some nesting grounds, conservation programs are currently removing eggs and hatching them in safer, semi-natural hatcheries, built close to the nesting grounds.…”