A parrot that had not been officially recorded in nearly three decades has been spotted alive on a remote mountain peak in Indonesia. The Mittermeier's lorikeet, a colorful bird named after a prominent conservationist, was photographed on Mount Gamalama in the Maluku Islands.
A 28 year gap in the record books
The last time scientists formally documented this lorikeet was in 1998. For years, researchers feared the bird might have vanished entirely. Then, during a recent expedition, a team from the Indonesian conservation group Himpunan Untuk Alam caught sight of it. They managed to take photographs that confirmed the species still exists.
Where the bird was hiding
Mount Gamalama is an active volcano on the island of Ternate. The terrain is steep, forested, and difficult to reach. Local people had occasionally reported seeing a bird that matched the lorikeet's description, but no scientific confirmation had been made until now. The rediscovery happened at an elevation of around 1,200 meters.
Why this matters to the community
For residents of Ternate, the lorikeet is part of the island's natural heritage. The bird's return to scientific attention has sparked renewed interest in protecting the forests of Mount Gamalama. Local conservation groups are now working with researchers to assess how many birds remain and what threats they face.
The rediscovery of the Mittermeier's lorikeet does not guarantee its survival, but it offers a second chance. Scientists say the bird's habitat is under pressure from farming and volcanic activity. The photographs from the expedition provide the first solid evidence that this species has persisted in a place where few people thought to look.
