Not long after its discovery, the Po'ouli took a tragic turn. By the time scientists took notice of it, most of its habitat had already been destroyed. Invasive animals like feral pigs, rats, stray cats, and Asian mongooses had put a tremendous dent in their population. Mosquitoes, bearing diseases fatal to the birds, had overwhelmed what little remained of their habitat. In 2004, only three of the birds were known to exist. One died in captivity as ornithologists desperately sought to find him a mate; the other two haven't been seen in nearly a decade. Now one question remains: is the Po'ouli really extinct, or is there a chance that it might cling to survival on the ragged edges of its mountainous habitat?
Officially, scientists haven't yet given up hope on the Po'ouli, but odds of its survival are slim. Extensive searches since 2004 have turned up no sign of this tiny (but unique and important) bird, but there's a chance that a few individuals might remain alive today. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature sums up its status: "It may be extinct, but continuing surveys in all areas of potential habitat are needed to confirm that no other individuals survive. If any do still survive, the total population must be tiny." It will not be officially declared extinct until there have been many more fruitless searches for the animal.
Unfortunately, if there are any Po'ouli left, the outlook still isn't good: there may be too few of the animals left to sustain a viable population. It's highly unlikely, according to the IUCN, that more than 10 of the animals survive, and the survivors would be very closely related. Several generations of close inbreeding can severely weaken a genepool, leading to the inevitable collapse of the species even if the animals keep breeding amongst themselves.
Another glimmer of hope may come in the form of cloning. Because the last known specimens of Po'ouli died only recently, many of their bodies have been carefully preserved. There may be enough viable DNA in these deceased animals to enable cloning at some point in the future. If these few "resurrected" animals can breed and reclaim their tropical mountain habitat, they may have a chance at survival... but, given the tiny number of preserved specimens, the astronomical expense of cloning, the fact that scientists have not yet cloned birds, and the failure of past projects to revive recently extinct animals, the idea of resurrection through cloning is likely no more than a dream.
For now, it seems we must simply accept that the Po'ouli is extinct, and that, if there is any hope for its recovery, that hope is faint and distant. While the future may bring us viable options for cloning this beautiful bird and restoring it to its former habitat-- and while there is some chance that a few individuals may cling to life in an isolated island forest-- the sad fact is that the world will probably never again see a living Po'ouli. If we focus intentions, funds and actions now on preserving the forests of Haleakala, perhaps this bird's tragic and premature demise can help alert us to the major issue of mass extinction-- saving the lives of other species that might follow its fate if we don't change our ways.