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Witness History: The bird that defied extinction

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The bird that defied extinction

28/11/2023 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, The bird that defied extinction

In 1977, the white-winged guan was rediscovered in Peru after a century

In 1977, Gustavo Del Solar found a long-lost bird species in the Peruvian wilderness, and made it his life mission to save it. His son Rafael remembers the discovery.

In 1969, a Peruvian farmer called Gustavo Del Solar received an unusual assignment - finding a bird called the white-winged guan that had been regarded as extinct for a century.

After years of searching, he found the bird deep in Peru’s wilderness in 1977. He then made it his life’s mission to save the species, setting up a zoo in his family home.

Thanks to Gustavo's discovery, the Peruvian government protected the white-winged guan and its population continued to grow. His son, Rafael Del Solar, tells Ben Henderson about his dad's love for the 'chicken-sized' birds.

(Photo: Gustavo Del Solar with a white-winged guan. Credit: Rafael Del Solar/El Comercio)

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