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Socorro Dove
Paignton Zoo cares for 3 Socorro doves as part of global conservation breeding efforts.
These Extinct in the Wild birds can be found in the Cottage Aviary, at the very top of the zoo.
Class:
Aves
Order:
Columbiformes
Family:
Columbidae
About the Socorro dove
The Socorro dove is native to Socorro Island in Mexico, where it historically inhabited dry forest and scrub. A seed and fruit eater, it once played a role in dispersing plant species across its island habitat.
Now tragically extinct in the wild, this species survives only in carefully managed captive populations.
Conservation
The species is classified as Extinct in the Wild, with invasive predators and habitat degradation on Socorro Island leading to its disappearance from nature. International reintroduction programmes aim to restore populations in Mexico.