High above the ocean and carved within limestone cliffs in the north-west of Ulong Island lie ancient caves that contain paintings and pictographs signifying beliefs and activities that far precede colonialization. The Indigenous Peoples of Ulong, an island that forms part of western Palau in the Pacific Ocean, have a proud cultural history – as the presence of age-old rock art signifies. The caves, cliffs, lagoons and reefs are inseparable from human activity in the region.

Within those same natural features, countless animals, plants and organisms have also made a home. However, as with all islands, Ulong’s finely tuned ecosystem is vulnerable to non-native, damaging invasive animals and plants that can upset the balance. The chief threat is invasive rodents that destroy the natural habitat of thousands of seabirds (such as the Palauan Megapode and the Palauan Ground Dove), rare local forest birds, snails, crabs and turtles. And when these animals are eaten or die off, the surrounding reefs and marine life are negatively impacted, too.

In 2021 Island Conservation began research for a long-term project with the Koror State Government’s Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement (DCLE) to not only remove these invasive species, but also promote biosecurity in the region. Koror is the most populous Palauan state, and their collaborative spirit and guidance is integral to success.

In the coming months, these partners will implement projects to remove invasive rodents, which will be a significant step in restoring and protecting the natural ecosystem.

Biosecurity is a crucial aspect that ensures once an island has been protected from invasive threats, there need to be strict processes and procedures in place to prevent reintroductions. In short: protecting a marine-island ecosystem is not just an intervention, but a way of life. (Be sure to check out our blog on DIY Biosecurity: 5 Ways To Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species and our guide to personal biosecurity.)

This project won’t just benefit terrestrial animals: the region is also known for spectacular drift diving with views of the surrounding coral reefs.

Ulong is famous for having one of the largest patches of lettuce coral ever found! Fish and numerous other marine organisms are necessarily connected to the ecological health of the island.

Everything is connected! (Just take a look at the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge we launched last year if you want to know more!)

The collaboration on Ulong has benefited from Island Conservation’s previous work in the region, including Ngeanges, Kayangel and most recently, Ngerkeklau. In the same spirit, the project will serve as a template for similar interventions on other Palauan islands in the future. The aspiration is that once biosecurity measures have become a routine and integrated part of Ulong, the natural heritage can be preserved for generations to come – just like those cave paintings.