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Articles on Ivory-billed woodpecker

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Dodos have been extinct for centuries, but it’s not a simple matter to definitively designate a species as extinct. (Shutterstock)

When is a species really extinct?

Species are declared extinct when there have been no verifiable sightings for 50 years. Declaring a species extinct has implications for conservation efforts and policies.
An ivory-billed woodpecker on display at the California Academy of Sciences. The U.S. government is preparing to declare them extinct. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)

The ‘Lord God Bird’ might be extinct, but the story of the ivory-billed woodpecker isn’t over yet

It’s been 80 years since the last undisputed sighting of the striking black-and-white bird. The U.S. government believes the ivory-billed woodpecker is extinct — but many will keep searching for it.

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