DNA uncovers 1 of the worlds rarest birds

A team of Australian researchers from University of Adelaide has found a endangered species of ground parrot in Western Australia. They used DNA from museum exhibit up to 160 years old to admit taht populations of ground parrots are highly definite from each other in Eastern and Western Australia. Dr Murphy says " The Western Ground parrot has declined rapidly in the last 20 years, there are now only about 110birds surviving in the wild and most of these are confined to a single national park. It is now one of the world's rarest birds." Another team member Dr Jeremy Austin said "Our findings demonstrate that museum collections, some going back more than 150 years, continue to be relevant and can provide critical information for understanding and conserving the world's biodiversity into the future". The Director of CSIRO's Australian National Wildlife Collection, Dr Leo Joseph, said: "Even after 200 years of study, we are still recognizing new species of birds in Australia. This finding highlights the need for further research on Australia's unique, and sometimes cryptic, biodiversity."