A wake-up call for migratory bird conservation.
Bonn, 10 October 2025 – Today, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has officially declared the Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) extinct, marking the first known global extinction of a formerly widespread migratory bird species whose range included mainland Europe, North Africa, and West Asia.
The last confirmed sighting of the species was at Merja Zerga, Morocco, just over thirty years ago, on 25 February 1995. Today’s announcement ends hope for the survival of this species, after years of exhaustive searches for any remaining individuals. This devastating loss underlines the urgent and sustained need for stronger, coordinated conservation efforts for migratory birds, and migratory species in general.
