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The maleo (''Macrocephalon maleo'') is a large megapode and the only member of the monotypic genus ''Macrocephalon''. The maleo is endemic to
Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...
and the nearby smaller island of Buton in Indonesia. It is found in the tropical lowland and hill forests, but nests in the open sandy areas, volcanic soils, or beaches that are heated by the sun or geothermal energy for incubation.


Description

The maleo ranges from long with blackish plumage, bare yellow facial skin, reddish-brown iris, reddish-orange beak, and rosy salmon underparts. The crown is ornamented with a prominent, bony, dark casque - which is the origin of its genus name ''Macrocephalon'' (''Macro'' meaning "large" and ''cephalon'' meaning "head"). The greyish blue feet have four long sharp claws, separated by a membranous web. The sexes are almost identical with a slightly smaller and duller female. Juvenile birds have largely brownish and paler heads with short blackish-brown crests and browner upperparts.


Behaviour and ecology

The maleo's
egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...
is large, about five times as large as that of the domestic chicken's. The female lays and covers each egg in a deep hole in the sand and allows the incubation to take place through solar or volcanic heating. After the eggs hatch, the young birds work their way up through the sand and hide in the forest. The young birds are able to fly and are totally independent. They must find food and defend themselves from predators such as
monitor lizard Monitor lizards are lizards in the genus ''Varanus,'' the only extant genus in the family Varanidae. They are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania, and one species is also found in the Americas as an invasive species. About 80 species are recogn ...
s, reticulated pythons,
wild pig A wild pig may be: *Suina, a suborder of even-toed mammals, including: **Suidae, a family of animals that are pigs or pig-like, including the Suinae and more distantly related extinct Old World tribes ***Suinae, a subfamily which includes the ''S ...
s, and cats. The maleo is
monogamous Monogamy ( ) is a form of Dyad (sociology), dyadic Intimate relationship, relationship in which an individual has only one Significant other, partner during their lifetime. Alternately, only one partner at any one time (Monogamy#Serial monogamy, ...
and members of a pair stay close to each other all the time. Its diet consists mainly of fruits, seeds, mollusks, ants, termites, beetles, and other small invertebrates.


Breeding and habitat

This species is endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. It is usually not present on altitudes exceeding 1,000 meters and is usually found in lowland hills or rain forests. Ideal nesting locations include river banks, lake shores, and coastal areas of the island. Maleos are communal nesters. Maleos breed all year round, but peak breeding season varies depending upon the location on the island. When prepared to lay her eggs, the female maleo, accompanied by her mate, will leave the cover of the Sulawesian forest in search of historic coastal breeding grounds. Females can lay anywhere between 8-12 eggs over the course of a year. Once an optimal spot is chosen, the maleos dig a deep hole and lay the egg inside. After the egg is laid, the parents bury the egg securely in sand, sometimes covering the sand with other debris to better camouflage the hole. After the egg has been securely buried, the parents leave and never return, leaving the maleo chick to fend for itself. The hot sand of Sulawesi acts as an incubator for maleo eggs, which are warmed with geothermal heat or solar heat. A maleo chick is completely self-sufficient only hours after hatching. For this reason, maleo eggs are approximately five times the size of a domestic chicken's, as they contain nearly full-formed maleos inside. It must dig its way up through the sand immediately after hatching, and subsequently has the ability to fly and feed itself.


Current threats and conservation

A large number of former nesting sites have been abandoned as a result of egg poaching and land conversion to agriculture. Of the 142 known nesting grounds, only 4 are currently considered non-threatened. The shrinking and fragmentation of forest habitats on the island pose serious threats to the surviving and future populations of the species. Wildfires in 2000 and 2004 cleared large areas of forest and what grew as a result of these fires was not a suitable habitat for the maleo. There has also been increasing isolation between non-breeding habitats and coastal breeding grounds as a result of human urban development. Because of this, mortality risk associated with moving to breeding grounds has drastically increased. Since 1972, this species has been protected by the Indonesian government. As of 2005, it is estimated that only 4,000-7,000 breeding pairs currently exist in the wild and these numbers are rapidly declining. Due to aforementioned threats, current population numbers, and deemed value of the species, the maleo is evaluated as critically endangered the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES. In 2009, US-based Wildlife Conservation Society worked with local government to purchase of Indonesian beach front property where approximately 40 nests are located in an effort to further conservation efforts and protect this bird. Thanks to
Alana O'Sullivan Alana, Alanna, or Alannah is a female given name. It can be derived either from the Old High German word for "precious" or from the Irish language term ''"a leanbh"'' for "child". Alana is also a unisex given name in the Hawaiian community meani ...
, a Senior Keeper of Ornithology, the Bronx Zoo (And recently, the
Nashville Zoo The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere is a zoological garden and historic plantation farmhouse located southeast of Downtown Nashville. As of 2014, the zoo was middle Tennessee's top paid attraction and contained 6,230 individual animals, encompassing 3 ...
), is one of the only places in the world where the maleo exists outside of Indonesia and breeding efforts are currently taking place there as well. A breeding pair of maleos at the Bronx Zoo were featured in an episode of the Animal Planet show ''The Zoo''. O'Sullivan appeared and talked about the species and the threats they face. She also lamented that most people don't know they exist. Details about the maleo not yet mentioned include having an elaborate courtship ritual and loving peanuts. It's easy to tell when the female will lay her egg because she will lose interest in everything else, including peanuts, and at that point the keepers know she will lay her egg within the next 24 hours. The
Alliance for Tompotika Conservation An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
works with communities in
Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...
to educate locals about the maleo's endangered status and prevent the harvesting of eggs. The eggs are not a staple food source, but are a popular delicacy.


References


External links

* * *ARKive - {{Taxonbar, from=Q836291 Megapodiidae Endemic birds of Sulawesi Birds described in 1846 Taxa named by Salomon Müller