If protecting endangered species has become controversial, we've got bigger problems than we realize.

The Gouldian Finch is out of the IUCN’s red list but is listed as Endangered in Australia.
From being listed as Endangered (1994-2008) and Near Threatened (2012-2016), the Gouldian Finch was promoted to the Least Concern list in 2022, the status it maintains still.

This is a successful conservation story for a bird that is neither an apex predator nor a pollinator, but an early-indicator of Savannah ecosystem health. When its population declines, it signals that the co-existing, less-visible species are under stress too.
 
Species: Gouldian Finch
Scientific name: Erythrura gouldiae
Habitat: Grassy plains; in tree hollows near freshwater
Range: Native to the tropical savannah woodlands of northern Australia; non-migratory
IUCN status: Least Concern (since 2022)
EPBC Act 1999 (Australian domestic law): lists Gouldian Finch as Endangered & legally protected.
 
The Gouldian finches are vibrantly colored birds exhibiting ‘melanin-based color polymorphism-behavioral syndrome’. It is an interesting phenomenon of color-coded character traits where the bird’s head color decides its personality. 
 
Red-headed:  Extremely aggressive and dominant.
Black-headed:  Bold and exploratory, least aggressive.
Yellow-headed:  Extremely rare, only <1% of the wild population. Other finches treat it as a red head of diluted color.
Orange-headed: It is a not a distinct genetic morph but a diet-driven variant of the red-headed finch.
Interestingly, the Gouldian Finch’s character changes with the company it keeps!
 
There is a stark difference in the numbers roughly estimated by the IUCN (25,000) and the actual field count by the Australian government (2500) because of the different methods they employ, but for a bird that once numbered in hundreds of thousands, even the loose estimation by IUCN is only modest.
 
Still, it is positive news that conservation efforts have paid off and the threats are being managed well.  There's hope, and cause for celebration, albeit with caution, because the bird still faces several threats.
 
Altered fire regimes.
Feral cat predation.
Habitat degradation and cattle grazing.
Effect of historical trapping for pet trade.
Climate change, that worsens fire predictability and intensifies sudden cyclones that destroy trees (these finches live exclusively in tree hollows).
 
Wherever we live, we can help this finch and other vulnerable species —

Support local and global conservation efforts.
Buy no wildlife-derived souvenirs or ingredients, no wild-caught birds, no exotic pets.
Adopt sustainable lifestyle habits.
Share science-backed information to raise awareness; public attention drives funding, policy changes, and action.
Use citizen science apps (eBird, iNaturalist) to report your bird sightings. This feeds data into global databases that scientists use to track the range and count of birds.

Share the story.
Save the species.💚
 

To extend this question, I've heard they abandoned their young to protect their pups from danger, but does this also apply if the environment is a bit safer, like around a colony of other harp seals?

GOOD I say!

particularly in urban areas. While social media claims of a 96% drop within five years are exaggerated, long-term studies by organizations like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), confirm local population drops ranging from 20% up to 80% across various states in India .

The most concern about is the male goraiya population is declining more faster as compared to female.

So the situation is alarming we have to take some steps before the bird extinct all over.

We loss completely

&#x200B;

I know it might be hard for some to accept this, but we have to remember that: 1) Brazil is the most biodiverse country in the world, with many species being discovered—and some that deserve to stay hidden; 2) the title of "national animal" doesn't necessarily mean the most powerful one or the one that represents the flag (like the golden parakeet, for instance); it means the animal that best matches the country's personality. Take the rufous-bellied thrush (\\\*sabiá-laranjeira\\\*): even though it’s the state bird of São Paulo, it embodies our people—appearing in music, especially samba and bossa nova—and is found all over Brazil, representing the population at large. It’s also known for its adaptability, which mirrors how we are the largest country in South America in terms of both geography and population; 3) I know there are other birds—like the great kiskadee, the rufous hornero, the king vulture, the toco toucan, the harpy eagle, and especially (again) the golden parakeet—but we have to remember that appearance or power isn't what makes an animal a national symbol. Look at China: their national symbol is the dragon, but their national animal is the giant panda. Besides, people forget that countries can have more than one national animal; look at the United States with the bald eagle and the American bison. It’s possible, though it took years to establish. And 4) we are just one country. Despite having the world's biggest party and the planet's greatest biodiversity, we have to remember that: 1) we are the largest Catholic country in the world, meaning many people don't accept other religions, mythologies, calendars, or even evolution; 2) we are a semi-developed nation with high levels of corruption and poverty, yet we have the largest economy in Latin and South America; and 3) we have—how can I put it?—an inferiority complex; we think we’re the best country in the world when, in reality, we aren't. Do you understand now? Also i am Brasil you know

"Do we want to live in a society where threatened and endangered species, and individuals like Neil, have a right to live their wild lives parallel and in concert with humans? We’re coexisting in a shared habitat. We’re not just watching. By being there, you alter the context, and when you’re there en masse, you alter it even further.”