WASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters)
Aug 26, 1998
U.S. researchers said on Monday they had found a treasure trove of species on the tiny, little-known Caribbean island of Navassa.
A dove thought to have been extinct and several undocumented plant species were found on the island in the Greater Antilles.
``We suspected that the expedition would identify surprisingly large numbers of species,'' Roger McManus, president of the Washington-based Centre for Marine Conservation, which took part in the study, said in a statement. ``We are thrilled that the team's findings have more than exceeded our expectations.''
Navassa, which lies 40 miles west of Haiti, has an area of just two square miles (five square km). A U.S. territory, it is rarely visited. The team of biologists, ecologists, divers and other experts landed on the island last week for the first survey since the 1930s.
They immediately found the Navassa ground dove, a bird that had been presumed extinct. They also found many new species of plants. They will also explore the coral reefs that surround the island.
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