# Tiny populations are challenging what we know about wildlife recovery

Source: [Earth.com](https://www.earth.com/environment/tiny-populations-are-challenging-what-we-know-about-wildlife-recovery/) · 2026-11-09 · Earth & Climate
Page: https://themorning.science/story/tiny-populations-are-challenging-what-we-know-about-wildlife-recovery-20bec509cc29c811
Kind: research · Impact: medium

## In brief

- In 1974, only four Mauritius kestrels were known to survive in the wild.
- The Mauritius kestrel population has since grown to the hundreds, according to the report.
- A team led by Donal Smith at Monash University, with other researchers, studied the recovery.

## Why it matters

The recovery challenges the assumption that very small wild populations are almost certainly doomed, which affects how conservation teams judge recovery prospects for endangered species.

## Coverage

- [Tiny populations are challenging what we know about wildlife recovery](https://www.earth.com/environment/tiny-populations-are-challenging-what-we-know-about-wildlife-recovery/) — Earth.com, 2026-11-09

Tags: conservation, wildlife recovery, endangered species, population biology, birds

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science