Once widespread across Samoa's lowland rainforests, Tooth-billed Pigeon (Scientific name: Didunculus strigirostris) – known locally as manumea – has undergone a severe decline since the 1990s, primarily due to deforestation, hunting and invasive species.
Closely related to the extinct Dodo, manumea is one of the world's most evolutionarily distinct birds. Its thick, curved bill enables it to feed on hard fruits, a unique ecological role among pigeons.
Despite its status as Samoa's national bird, remarkably little is known about its behaviour or population size. An adult has never been photographed clearly in the wild, and its call is easily confused with that of the common Pacific Imperial Pigeon, leading to overestimated population figures in the past. There was a blank period of sightings between 2006 and 2012.
As reported by Mongabay, the Samoa Conservation Society and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) are leading local efforts to protect remaining forest and monitor the elusive species. However, these projects remain severely underfunded. Experts argue that a large-scale, multi-year forest conservation initiative backed by international donors, particularly the Global Environment Facility, is essential to avert extinction.
The species' elusive nature compounds the challenge. Sightings have become vanishingly rare, and its apparent retreat into remote rainforest makes standard survey techniques difficult. Habitat degradation and hunting pressure continue to threaten the few remaining birds. Conservationists stress that time is running out. Without immediate investment to secure habitat, strengthen community engagement and support long-term monitoring, Samoa risks losing one of its most extraordinary and symbolic birds, which is a living link to Dodo itself.
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