Definition:

(verb) To eradicate a species from a specifically defined geographic area, though not leading to overall global extinction. Depending on the species' conservation status, a local or regional extirpation may not be cause for conservation concern and may not affect any threatened or endangered status. In limited cases, conservationists may use extirpation as an opportunity to study the process of extinction and ecosystem evolution, though not to the detriment of the overall population of the species.


Different factors can contribute to a species' extirpation, such as:

• Habitat change or loss leading to a lack of resources to sustain the species, such as removing a food source or eliminating nesting sites for specific birds
• Unregulated hunting, poaching or illegal persecution, as has affected raptors, parrots and different birds throughout history, such as egrets killed for their fashionable plumes
• Invasive predators that target the bird species or otherwise disrupt its population by destroying habitat, disrupting resources or directly killing birds
• Natural disasters or widespread epidemics that decimate a local bird population, such as wiping out a breeding colony or causing drastic habitat changes, as in a drought or flood

When a species is extirpated, the damage can be reversed if the conditions that led to the species' loss are changed so the birds can be supported once more. In extreme cases, a species may become extinct in the wild when it is extirpated from its entire range. Stringent conservation measures can reverse even that drastic situation, as is ongoing with the California condor, when captive-bred birds are reintroduced to their native range or similar suitable habitat.

One key characteristic of extirpation is its relative permanence; if the conditions that caused the extirpation are not corrected or reversed, the birds will not return to the area. This is different than migration, which is a seasonal movement of birds and a natural part of their life cycle rather than being caused by external factors.

Pronunciation:

EX-TER-payt or EX-TER-pay-shun

Also Known As:

Local Extinction, Extirpation (noun)

Photo – Golden Eagle © Darrel Birkett