APPROACHES TO THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE BALI MYNA

The Pall mynah (Leucopsar rothschildi) is an endangered bird endemic t o the island of Pall, Indonesia. The wild population of approximately 17 birds is confined to West Ball National Park (Taman Nasional Ball B arat). The species was intensively collected for the bird trade in the 1960s and 1970s, and poaching for the internal trade in Indonesia rem ains the primary threat to the wild population. We conducted an experi mental release of one captive-bred and five confiscated, wild origin B all mynahs on the small offshore island Pulau Menjangan. Released bird s readily developed flight and foraging skills. Of the six, radio-tagg ed birds released, one was stolen, three were likely killed by a rapto r, and two were returned successfully to the wild. Many challenges rem ain for the conservation of this species, including poaching in the na tional park, disease in the captive population, predation by raptors o n newly released birds, and destruction of essential habitat. Results suggest that the Pall mynah is a suitable species for an expanded prop agation and release program, provided that poaching is curtailed and d isease in birds intended for release can be eliminated. (C) 1998 Wiley -Liss, Inc.