Turtle doves (Streptopelia turtur) were once widespread across much of England and Wales, but the most recent figures show that the population in the south east, one of the last remaining strongholds, has fallen by 84 per cent since 1995. Nationally turtle doves have declined by 93 per cent since 1970. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said that “at this current rate of change, if we don’t help this species, scientists calculate there will be fewer than 1000 pairs by 2020, and complete UK extinction as a breeding species will be a real possibility.”
Source: Gozo News, 16 May 2013
http://gozonews.com/38683/turtle-dove-population-decreased-by-93-in-the…
- Log in to post comments