Wild cockatoo hatchling a hopeful sign for species

Golden child: Gold, the Philippine cockatoo that has successfully hatched an offspring, basking in the sunlight in the wild of Palawan province. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN

Four years after she was rescued and released back to the wild in Palawan province, Gold, a Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), has successfully hatched an egg, marking a success story amid the persistent threats to her species’ dwindling numbers.

The critically endangered bird was among the five hatchlings that were rescued in the Dumaran Island Critical Habitat in May 2016.