EDITORIAL
p. 12
what is the
state of the
world’s
birds?
pura vida
I wasn’t fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of a Resplendent Quetzal when I visited Costa Rica last year, but that was
about the only sensation the trip failed to deliver. Whether it was being deafened by the booming call of the Three-wattled
Bellbird, or getting too close for comfort with a colony of Bullet Ants, the staggering biodiversity of this small corner of the
planet was an assault on the senses. This is country that cares for its nature, with a high proportion of protected areas, so is
it any accident, State of the World’s Birds editor Tris Allinson ponders [p.58], that its people are ranked among the happiest?
Pura vida (‘pure life’) is a philosophy deeply woven into the Costa Rican psyche. And they’re onto something. Where nature
is allowed to flourish, so too do humans living nearby, both in terms of health, and economic opportunities. But zoom out
and ‘pura vida’ is becoming harder to find. Our planet is buckling and wheezing under the demands of an ever-increasing
human population, with pressures such as intensive agriculture [p.20] driving habitat loss at frightening rates. The result –
even widespread, formerly common birds are now at risk of extinction [p.12]. It’s important, now more than ever, that we
continue to identify the most vital areas on Earth for biodiversity – and stand up for our nature, our ‘pura vida’.
Alex Dale, Editor
Contributors to this issue
tris allinson
As BirdLife’s Senior Global Science Officer, Tris led
the production of State of the World’s Birds, our
flagship science publication. Updated every four
or five years, State of the World’s Birds collates and
analyses our accrued knowledge on the health of
our planet. The highlights begin on page 12.
jul-sep 2018 • birdlife
samantha vine
BirdLife Australia had their own ‘pura vita’
moment recently, as their tireless campaign to
save biodiverse Christmas Island, and its endemic
inhabitants, from mining catastrophe. Our
Partner’s Head of Conservation walks us through
this big win on page 50.
GÜVEN EKEN
Sustainable agriculture isn’t a new concept – in
fact, it’s been practiced for thousands of years in
places such as Western Anatolia, Turkey. On page
24, Güven Eken, Senior Science Advisor, Doğa
Derneği (BirdLife in Turkey) explores how the past
could unlock solutions for our future.
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