Despite its garish exterior, the Bali Myna has a turbulent and convoluted past. The bird was in danger of extinction in the 1960s as a result of habitat loss and poaching for the illegal bird trade. In actuality, by the middle of the 1990s, there were just six known Bali Mynas left in the wild.

Conservationists started a captive breeding programme in the 1970s, which marked the start of efforts to rescue the Bali Myna. As a result of the program’s effectiveness, hundreds of Bali Mynas had been hatched in captivity by the 1980s. However, releasing birds that were raised in captivity into the wild proved to be a challenge because many of the birds did not survive because they lacked previous outside experience.

Because they were more likely to live and reproduce when released in pairs, conservationists began to release Bali Mynas in pairs rather than singly to solve this problem. Additionally, by creating protected areas and cracking down on illegal hunting, conservationists fought to save the Bali Myna’s natural environment.

These initiatives have paid off, and the population of Bali Myna is gradually beginning to rebound. There will likely be between 100 and 200 Bali Mynas in the world as of 2021. A significant improvement over the mid-1990s, when just six Bali Mynas were known to live in the wild, when the population was still highly endangered.

The Bali Myna is a significant cultural icon in Bali in addition to its conservation status. Many Balinese people regard the bird, which is shown on the island’s coat of arms, as a holy animal. Additionally, it is a well-liked destination for travellers who travel to Bali to view the bird in its native environment.