Extinct In The Wild, Socorro Dove

"It was formerly common and observations in 1957 and 1958 gave no indication that it was declining. The last sighting in the wild was in 1972, and all suitable habitat on the island has been surveyed subsequently without recording the dove... The decline and extinction in the wild of Z. graysoni has been attributed chiefly to predation by cats... other factors, such as human predation and high levels of understory grazing by sheep, may have been significant... Fortunately, aviculture has prevented the extinction of the species, with captive populations held in the U.S.A. and 12 European countries... There are c.100 birds in captivity and reintroduction of the species is planned."