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Island Conservation
In the beginning, Tromelin Island, a small, remote land mass off the coast of Madagascar, was a healthy home for a variety of bird and plant species. The island was beautiful and thriving until one day when people accidentally introduced rats. The island’s ecosystem began to collapse–six of the eight bird species native to the island could not cope […]
Blue Iguanas, threatened by invasive species, were downlisted from “Critically Endangered” to “Endangered” thanks to conservation efforts. What could possibly put a 5-foot long, 25-lb giant reptile on the Critically Endangered species list? How could the largest species on the Grand Cayman Islands be at risk of extinction? Under normal conditions the Blue Iguana would thrive in its native […]
Have you heard of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot? It’s a small furry marsupial that lives in Tasmania and Victoria, Australia. If you’ve never seen one before, it’s not too late. Thanks to a recovery program, this adorable species is rebounding from extinction. The Eastern Barred Bandicoot’s population size had fallen at an alarming rate in […]
Conservationists celebrate the successful breeding season of the Tāiko, a Critically Endangered seabird native to New Zealand. One of New Zealand’s most endangered birds just had a very successful breeding season! The Chatham Island Tāiko, also known as the Magenta Petrel, is a Critically Endangered seabird and was thought to be extinct for over 100 […]
Though they make up less than 5% of the world’s land mass, islands are home to 20% of bird, plant, and reptile species. The Seychelles Islands are among these major hotspots for biodiversity. Quarter-ton tortoises, minuscule frogs, charismatic birds and many other astonishing species have long lived together in the dazzling Seychelles landscape. However, hundreds of years of […]
Working with local people is key when it comes to protecting native wildlife. Conservationists from the Isles of Scilly Seabird Recovery Project and restoration specialists from Wildlife Management International jointed together with local volunteers to eradicate invasive rats that were killing seabirds. Manx Shearwater chick. Photo by Nick Tomalin Since the removal of the rat population, […]
When snowshoe hares were introduced by people to Hay Island, Maine, they reproduced rapidly and began to damage the natural habitat. The invasive hares made their way to Kent Island and began to take over there as well. Their presence reduced a dazzling diverse forest to just wood fern and raspberry. The loss of trees was met by […]
The LA Times recently covered a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that highlights the benefits of invasive species eradication. One of the authors of the paper and Island Conservation’s Director of Science Nick Holmes calls the paper a “story of hope.” The study examined the impacts of eradication projects on islands in New Zealand, Australia, Ecuador, Seychelles, […]
National Geographic recently covered a study on the impacts of invasive species eradication on biodiversity. The study, conducted by 30 scientists, one of them Island Conservation’s Director of Science Nick Holmes, appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Global Ecology and Conservation. The study found 596 populations of 236 native species on 181 islands benefited from these eradications. […]
New global assessment finds major benefits to biodiversity when invasive mammals are removed from islands