The Socorro Dove is extinct in its former habitat, the Island of Socorro, since 1978. In former times the dove didn’t have any natural enemies on the island. When the military settled there, humans brought feral cats on the island.
Today there is an EAZA Ex situ Programme (EEP) for the dove, where Cologne Zoo participates. There are about 100 birds held and bred in zoos and private facilities. A reintroduction program on the island is in preparation today.