Raptor species 'lost' for 55 years photographed

After 55 years with no documented sightings, a photographer has captured images of the rare and poorly known New Britain Goshawk.

Endemic to Papua New Guinea, the goshawk was only known to science from four specimens and was uplisted to Vulnerable by IUCN in 2008. There have been a handful of sight-only records in recent decades, but none were documented.

Found only on the island of New Britain, little is known of New Britain Goshawk, though it resides in subtropical or tropical moist lowland and montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

In March this year, Fiji-based wildlife photographer Tom Vierus was taking images of birds on New Britain on an expedition with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Unbeknown to the photographer at the time, he managed to capture the first-ever image of a New Britain Goshawk.

The first-ever photograph of New Britain Goshawk (Tom Vierus).

First-ever photo

Vierus photographed the bird in forests that are part of the Nakanai Ranges, a rugged and remarkably biodiverse expanse of green-dotted mountains that form a section of the Sublime Karsts of Papua New Guinea, a tentative UNESCO World Heritage site.

Vierus said: "I was on a scoping trip with WWF in Pomio [eastern New Britain], with three members of the local community guiding us through the forest, so we could better understand the presence of species.

"I photographed several bird species, including New Britain Goshawk, but wasn't aware of the significance at the time. It was such a great surprise to hear that this photo seems to be the first-ever of this 'lost' species!"

Five-decade wait

Vierus added: "It is wonderful to see how conservation photography can help in safeguarding areas by documenting the existing biodiversity and also a good reminder of how important visual storytelling is.

"I truly hope this mostly pristine part of the world can remain as intact as possible with the help of the local communities, their already existing conservation initiatives and the support of WWF."

John Mittermeier, Director of the Search for Lost Birds at the American Bird Conservancy, commented: "The last documented scientific record of the species appears to be a July 1969 specimen that is kept in the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

"While there have been multiple sight-only records in the intervening years, the New Britain Goshawk seems to have eluded photo, sound and specimen documentation for 55 years."