Advances in Rhea pennata: A global bibliometric perspective and emerging trends

Abstract

Rhea pennata populations play a vital ecological role in the Andean highland ecosystems. This study aims to critically assess the evolution, scope, and focus of global scientific research on Rhea pennata, in order to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities that can guide future conservation and ecological studies on the species. For this purpose, we realize a bibliometric analysis of 73 articles published from 1974 to 2024. For this purpose, the bibliometric tools Biblioshiny in R and the VOSviewer were utilized. Results reveal an urgent need to expand scientific research on this species, given its projected 50-year extinction risk in Peru. Furthermore, a low publication rate and several emerging research areas with potential for future investigation were identified. Key authors, significant keywords, influential sources, and high-impact publications in this field were also highlighted. Argentina stands out, particularly through the Applied Zoology Centre of the University of Córdoba, for its major scientific contributions and international collaborations. Although there are reports of captive breeding of the Rhea pennata, no successful reintroduction cases in the wild have been documented. In contrast, population increases have been observed in protected natural areas without direct human intervention and in semi-captive conditions, suggesting a shift in conservation strategies for the Rhea pennata compared to current approaches.