In early June 2024, I was asked by Gary Ward, curator of birds, and Adrian Walls, head of Tropical Birds, at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), if I would fly out to the USA to help raise one of the rarest birds in the world, the Guam Kingfisher (Todiramphus cinnamominus) also known as the sihek. This species has not been seen in the wild since the late 1980s with fewer than 140 siheks left, all under human care. Siheks once flourished on the North Pacific island of Guam but the accidental introduction of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) to the island in the 1940s wiped out many native birds, bats and lizards.
I am truly at a loss for words to describe how fortunate I feel to be have been a part of the remarkable “Sihek Recovery Program.” This initiative aims to establish a temporary wild population on Palmyra Atoll before eventually returning the birds to Guam, a US territory. It has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life.
The adventure began the morning after a 21-hour journey from London to Wichita, Kansas, on June 29, 2024. On my first morning, still feeling a bit jet-lagged, we woke up at 4:50 AM to reach the bio-security breeding facility located in Sedgwick County Zoo, by 5:30 AM, ready for the 6 AM feeds. It was still dark and incredibly hot, a sweltering 40 degrees Celsius. There were 9 chicks to feed, all of different ages and sizes, mostly on an hourly schedule, resulting in 46 feeds a day from 6 AM to 7 PM. Our 14-hour shifts were very tiring, but incredibly rewarding!
As the days and weeks passed, the chicks grew older, bigger, cheekier, and more independent. We then began teaching them to self-feed, which required a lot of time and patience. Three weeks later, on my last day, all had grown into beautiful young adults with unique personalities, and we became very proud parents.
After returning to London from an amazing three weeks in Kansas, I was invited to go back, this time to collaborate with Antonia Fitchett, (Tropical Bird Keeper at ZSL London Zoo) @Antoniafitchett. We spent the entire month of August there, caring for the young birds until they were ready to take their historic flight into the wild. This significant release at Palmyra Atoll will pave the way for future releases on Guam.
Every moment spent working with this incredible species was a joy, making both trips truly unforgettable. In one summer, we managed to increase the worldwide population by more than 6%! A magnificent achievement.
Follow @sihek_recovery_project and @Kuamnews on Instagram to stay updated on their progress post-release. You can also watch interviews with some of the collaborators, including myself, who were involved in this project.
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Erica Royer, Aviculturist & Guam Sihek Husbandry Coordinator at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Scott Newland, President and CEO at Sedgwick County Zoo, as well as my colleagues Gary Ward and Adrian Walls, for providing me with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Moreover, a heartfelt shout-out to our zoo partners and the dedicated Sihek team – they have made this year an absolute triumph.
@disneysanimalkingdom @smithsonianzoo @cincinnatizoo @zslwhipsnadezoo @zsllondonzoo @officialzsl @brookfieldzoo @tracyaviaryofficial @sedgwickcountyzoo @national_aviary
#guamsihek #guam #pacific #cnmi #guamkingfisher #chamoru #sihek #kingfisher #palmyraatoll #guambirds #translocation #wildlifeconservation #savespeciesfromextinction #guåhan #zooconservation #birds #birdlovers #birdsofinstagram
A selfie of myself taken on my first day (29/06/2024) in front of the bio-security breeding facility (a very small metal container located in Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas, Wichita). © Camille Munday
A photo showcasing myself hand-rearing a 6-day-old chick (Hinanao) in the bio-security breeding facility, (05/07/2024). © Adrian Walls
A photo showcasing the nine Sihek birds we cared for all having their portrait photos taken. © Camille Munday
A photo showcasing our first day together in August (01/08/2024) caring for the fledglings. Me (Left), Antonia Fitchett (Right). © Camille Munday
A video showcasing Antonia Fitchett and I, picking up the last Sihek "Yasyas" from Leanne Blinco (Veterinary Hospital Manager at Disney's Animal Kingdom Animal Health Department), for the reintroduction program in Witchita, Kansas airport. (22/08/2024) © Camille Munday and Leanne Blinco.
A video showcasing the nine birds we hand-reared and took care of. Eight of them, were selected for the reintroduction program and have been transported to Palmyra Atoll. © Camille Munday.
A photo taken of us a few days before the departure to Palmyra Atoll (26/08/2024). Left is Erica Royer, (aviculturist at the Smithsonian Conservation), next to Erica is Scott Newland, (President/CEO at Sedgwick County Zoo), then myself, and Antonia Fitchett on the far right. © Erica Roya.
A photo showcasing our new bracelets (Erica Royer, Antonia Fitchett and I) as a memory of this incredible journey and project, "Class of 2024" a few days before the departure to Palmyra Atoll (26/08/2024). © Scott Newland.
A photo showcasing myself standing in front of the private jet, holding the nine Sihek birds before their journey to Palmyra Atoll. (28/08/2024), 6am. © Thomas Mangloña / KUAM News. @Kuamnews
A photo showcasing myself standing in front of the private jet, holding the nine Sihek birds before their journey to Palmyra Atoll. (28/08/2024), 6am. © Thomas Mangloña / KUAM News. @Kuamnews
A video of myself showcasing making sure our birds are in good condition and are doing well, a few days before their departure to Palmyra Atoll. (22/08/2024). © Antonia Fitchett.
One of our last days together in August (24/08/2024) being interviewed at Sedgwick County Zoo by Thomas Mangloña. Me (Right), Antonia Fitchett (Left). © Thomas Mangloña / KUAM News. @Kuamnews
A photo of one of our last days together in August (24/08/2024) of Antonia and I record keeping. Me (Right), Antonia Fitchett (Left). © Thomas Mangloña / KUAM News. @Kuamnews
A video featuring an interview with Antonia Fitchett (ZSL London Zoo Tropical Bird Keeper), and myself (0.27 seconds in and 1.42 minutes in), taken from @Kuamnews on Instagram. (25/08/2024). © Thomas Mangloña / KUAM News. @Kuamnews
A video featuring an interview with Diane Vice (Wildlife Supervisor, Government of Guam, Department of Agriculture, for the Division of Aquatic & Wildlife Resources, DAWR), Erica Royer (Aviculturist & Guam Sihek Husbandry Coordinator at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute), Scott Newland (President and CEO of Sedgwick Count Zoo), Antonia Fitchett (ZSL London Zoo Tropical Bird Keeper), Emma Koepp (Zoological Manager at Sedgwick County Zoo), Heather Arens (Sedgwick County Zoo Director of Animal Health), Anne Heitman (Curator of Birds at Sedgwick County Zoo), Travis Euwer (Bird Keeper at Sedgwick County Zoo), and lastly myself (2.25 minutes in), taken from @Kuamnews on Instagram. (25/08/202, 26/08/2024, 27/08/2024). © Thomas Mangloña / KUAM News. @Kuamnews
A video featuring a live interview with Diane Vice (Wildlife Supervisor, Government of Guam, Department of Agriculture, for the Division of Aquatic & Wildlife Resources, DAWR), Erica Royer (Aviculturist & Guam Sihek Husbandry Coordinator at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute), Scott Newland (President and CEO of Sedgwick Count Zoo), and myself, taken from @Kuamnews on Instagram. (28/08/2024). © Thomas Mangloña / KUAM News. @Kuamnews
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