High Country APP Remembers Martha the Pigeon
Local chapter members and bird enthusiasts will gather at the newly opened Lost Province Brewing Co. on Monday, September 1 to remember the passing of Martha the last Passenger Pigeon during the 100th Anniversary. Martha’s passing marked the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon species, and became the catalyst for the modern conservation movement to protect birds and wildlife.
During the 19th Century, the worldwide population of Passenger Pigeons totaled up to 5 billion and was considered the most abundant bird in North America. Because of market hunting, the bird was extinct within a century. Martha, housed at the Cincinnati Zoo, was the last known surviving pigeon, whose passing in 1914 became a symbol of modern-day conservation efforts.
“With Martha’s memory, researchers and conservationists have successfully brought attention to the severity of uncontrolled human impact and how important it is to preserve our existing wildlife,” says Curtis Smalling, Director of Land Bird Conservation for APP North Carolina. “The extinction of the Passenger Pigeon is a cautionary tale of what has and will continue to happen to our birds when we don’t do all we can to protect them.”
100 years later, organizations like APP North Carolina and High Country APP are continuing the important work to protect birds and wildlife. Across the country, supporters are organizing events to remember Martha and look to the future of conservation.
A memorial for Martha the Passenger Pigeon will be held Monday, September 1 at the Lost Province Brewing Co. in Downtown Boone beginning at Noon. Curtis Smalling will speak on the impact of extinction and how individuals can make a difference in protecting bird species in North Carolina. For more information, visit the High Country APP website or contact Curtis Smalling at csmalling@audubon.org.