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Island Conservation
Island Conservation, the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and The Nature Conservancy successfully completed the first phase of a long-term project to restore Rat Island in the Aleutian archipelago. The three partner organizations removed invasive rats that have prevented seabirds from nesting on the island. The implementation phase began September 26, 2008 after 3 years of planning. With almost unprecedented clear weather, helicopters and field crew were able to complete operations in just 9 days.
Rats have decimated the seabird population on Rat Island (which is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge) since they first arrived after a shipwreck in the 1780s. While about 40 million seabirds nest on other islands in the refuge, Rat Island can only support seabird nesting at the most minimal level. Around the world introduced invasive species such as rats are a leading cause of extinction in island communities. Invasive rats have been introduced to about 90 percent of the world’s islands and are responsible for 40-60 percent of all recorded bird extinctions. The Rat Island Restoration Project is one example of global efforts to remove invasive species from otherwise healthy island ecosystems.
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Trois îlots de l’atoll Tahanea en Polynésie Française ont été déclarés exempts de rats aujourd’hui par les partenaires d’un projet de conservation impliquant Island Conservation, l’Université Simon Fraser (Canada), la Société d’Ornithologique de Polynésie ‘Manu’ (représentant BirdLife) et la communauté…
Susan Silander, Project Leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (787) 851-7258 x 306 Amy Carter, Information Officer, Island Conservation (831) 359-4787 x 104 CABO ROJO, Puerto Rico – El Servicio Federal de Pesca y Vida Silvestre y “Island Conservation” anuncian…
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Island Conservation are pleased to announce that operations to restore Desecheo Island’s native species and their habitat by removing non-native, invasive black rats from Desecheo Island have been completed safely and successfully. Susan…
Event Marks Successful Completion of Seabird Restoration Project on San Nicolas Island Press release Ventura, CA – Partners from the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program, the U.S. Navy, Island Conservation, Institute for Wildlife Studies and The Humane Society of the United States gathered on San Nicolas Island…
Island Conservation selects Dr. Ray Nias as our new Southwest Pacific Regional Director! Dr. Ray Nias brings to Island Conservation a wealth of experience in the Asia-Pacific region. He has been involved in many island conservation projects in Australia, the…
Rat Island author Will Stolzenburg writes about restoring Palmyra, Island Conservation, and the battle to save island species. With the summer 2011 fieldwork completed and the crews moving on, there is reason to be hopeful that Palmyra Atoll has just…
Protects Millions of Seabirds, Coconut Crabs, and one of the Largest Remaining Tropical Coastal Strand Forests in the Pacific The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and Island Conservation (IC) today announced that summer 2011 fieldwork to…
Island Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Conservancy complete implementation on Palmyra Atoll, Line Islands. As of Thursday, June 30, 2011, Palmyra Atoll Restoration Project implementation was completed. It has taken a monumental effort and years of…
Island Conservation selects Boris Fabres to advance its conservation initiatives in the Caribbean. Island Conservation is pleased to announce Boris Fabres as our new Caribbean Regional Director. Boris brings to Island Conservation a valuable combination of conservation work from…
Experience Island Conservation’s work from Island Restoration Specialist and surfer Rory Stansbury’s perspective A Mischief of Rats Cleaning up with Island Conservation By Matt Skenazy It’s 4:00 a.m. and the wind is trying to rip Rory Stansbury’s tent off…