Atitlan Grebe (Podilymbus gigas)
Posted on 31 December, 1986 in Extinct
Year Last Seen:
1986
Comments:
This species was endemic to Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, but is now Extinct. Its extinction occurred sometime between 1983 and 1986, caused by myriad alterations to its habitat.
Habitat:
It inhabited one freshwater lake.
Causes:
Initial population declines were a result of competition and predation by Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, introduced into the lake in 1960 (LaBastille 1984). However, increasing pressure on breeding sites from local reed-cutting and from tourism development, along with the murder of the government game warden for the national park during the political unrest of 1982 and falling lake levels following the earthquake of 1976, are likely to be the factors which drove the population to extinction (LaBastille 1990). Drowning in gill nets and disturbance by increasing boat traffic have also been suggested as contributory factors (Collar et al. 1994).
Distribution:
Podilymbus gigas was endemic to Lake Atitlán, Guatemala (LaBastille 1974).