“Suspicions” about the existence of a new species appeared as early as the 90s of the 20th century.
Scientists described a new species of owl that was discovered on the Island of Principe, part of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe in Central Africa. Scientists first confirmed the existence of this species in 2016, and the suspicion of its existence first appeared in 1998, reports Eurekalert!.
The testimony of local residents suggests that the existence of these owls was known as early as 1928.
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It was possible to describe a new species thanks to multiple evidence , such as morphology, plumage color and pattern, vocalization and genetics. The data was collected and processed by an international group of researchers.
The official name of the species is Principe Scops-Owl or Otus bikegila. “Otus” is the general name of a group of small owls, which are commonly called owls. They are found in Eurasia and Africa and include such common species as the Eurasian sculpin (Otus scops) and the African sculpin (Otus senegalensis).
According to scientists, the species name bikegila was chosen in honor of Ceciliano do Bom Jesus nicknamed Bikegil, a former parrot collector from the island of Principe, and now a nature park supervisor.
“The discovery of the Principe Scops-Owl was only possible because of the local knowledge Bikegila shared and his tireless efforts to solve this age-old mystery. In this way, the name also means recognition of all the local field assistants who play a crucial role in expanding knowledge about the world's biodiversity,” the scientists said.
One way to distinguish a new species from others in the wild is its an unusual cry. The owl repeats a sound similar to “tuu” about once a second.
Scientists' study showed that the new species lives only in the remaining old forests of the island. Owls live here on an area of about 15 square kilometers. The population of birds living here is estimated at approximately 1,000-1,500 individuals.
Since all representatives of this species live in a rather small area, scientists propose to classify it as one of those on the verge of extinction. In the near future, part of the habitat of owls will be disturbed by the construction of a power plant.
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