The Indianapolis Zoo has awarded a $1 million grant to Ecuadorian conservation group Fundación Jocotoco to save a newly discovered hummingbird from the brink of extinction.

The Indianapolis Zoo created the $1 million Saving Species Challenge with the specific goal of saving a single species from extinction. The blue-throated starfish rescue plan was chosen by a panel of international animal conservation experts. A total of 52 submissions were received from 46 countries.

“We are witnessing a global decline in biodiversity, and the Indianapolis Zoo is committed to making a positive difference. We are honored to support the work of Fundación Jocotoco, and I am confident that the blue-throated starling can be saved,” said Dr. Robert Shumaker , president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoo .

The blue-throated hummingbird, a new species of hummingbird, was discovered in 2017. The hillstar is found in a cold, high-altitude area of ​​the remote Chillan mountain range in southwestern Ecuador, covering an area of ​​just 24 square miles. Habitat loss due to mining and frequent burning has led to the bird being classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Today, fewer than 110 adult birds remain.

Shortly after the blue-throated star was discovered, Fundación Jocotoco created the Cerro de Arcos Reserve to protect its habitat. The group will use the $1 million grant to work closely with local communities to expand protected lands to ensure the bird’s survival.

“We know we can succeed because we’ve done it before, for example, saving the critically endangered Pale-headed Bullfinch. When there were only 50 individuals left, Jocotoco protected the last remaining habitat for the warbler, and the population quickly increased fivefold,” said Martin Schaefer , CEO of Jocotoco.

The Save the Species Challenge was launched with the aim of reversing the decline of a single species currently listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List. Fundación Jocotoco will have five years to implement its plan and improve the status of the blue-throated starfish on the Red List.