Fact Sheets: A Fish and Wildlife fact sheet shows the physical difference between the female (above) and the male (Inset above and left photo). Fact sheets provided by the Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources, Department of Agriculture at P. O. Box 2950, Hagåtña, Guam 96910 or (671) 734-3944.

Photo by Rlene Steffy

Natural Habitat: While perched on a tangantangan branch in an outdoor aviary at DAWR in Mangilao, a male Sihek/Guam Micronesian Kingfisher shakes off rain during a tropical depression.

In an ironic turn of events, the Sihek/Guam Micronesian Kingfisher is returned to Guam in an attempt to resolve the struggle over its mortality rate. That after more than 20 years of captivity in North American Zoos after the Sihek was taken from the wild in Guam in an attempt to rescue it from extinction. Beth Bahner, animal collections manager at the Philadelphia Zoo said the Sihek was, "brought to North American Zoos when they became endangered by the Brown Tree Snake with the hope that we would grow the population and ultimately be able to reintroduce them." The mortality rate of the Sihek in captivity is low, despite the program's success and returning the Sihek to Guam is done with optimism that its natural habitat will provide what's missing to contribute to the longevity of the endangered bird.

Bahner has been associated with the Sihek for the 20 years it's been in captivity and is also the studbook keeper and species coordinator for the Guam Micronesian Kingfisher and the Species Survival Plan. She has kept a record of all the birds born in captivity since the inception of the program. Bahner said only one of the Guam Micronesian Kingfisher in captivity was born in the wild on Guam but they are not able to determine it's age since they don't know how old he was when captured.

"The Species Survival Plan is a program within North American Zoos developed to manage endangered species in a captive situation to ensure long-term survivorship through demographic and genetic analysis," said Bahner. The Sihek was, "brought to North American Zoos when they became endangered by the Brown Tree Snake with the hope that we would grow the population and ultimately be able to reintroduce them," she said.

Randy E. Junge, staff veterinarian at the Saint Louis Zoo and Bahner returned three male Micronesian Kingfisher to Guam and have been on the island for one week to make sure the birds remain healthy and adapt to their new environment after making the long journey home.

Listen to the rest of the interview to learn:

• Background: Randy E. Junge's

• Background: Beth Bahner

• North American Zoos participating in the Species Survival Plan

• Do survival programs interfere with the process of evolution

• Number birds born in captivity over 20 years

• Bird-born disease

• Why the Sihek was quarantined to protect Guam's environment

• And more....