With nearly 11,400 islands and 25% of the world’s endangered species, South America is of high importance for conservation of the world’s biodiversity.
The islands off the Pacific coast of South America host high levels of endemic plants and animals (species found only in that region or only on a single island). Such is the case of the Juan Fernandez Firecrown, the only endemic hummingbird on the planet, which lives solely on the relatively small Robinson Crusoe Island in the Chilean Juan Fernandez Archipelago. Other island endemic species include the Giant Atlantic Tree Rat, which is found only on Sao Sebastiao Island in Brazil and the Galapagos Rice Rat, which is endemic to Santa Fe Island in the Galapagos, Ecuador.
Juan Fernandez Firecrown
The South American islands are of high priority for conservation because many of them are home to the few existing populations of Endangered or Vulnerable species, such as the Humboldt Penguin, Peruvian Diving-petrel, Waved Albatross, and Pink-footed Shearwater.
On many of the islands in South America, invasive species threaten the existence of native plants and animals. In collaboration with national governments, particularly the Environment Ministries and protected areas agencies, Island Conservation is removing invasive species from islands in the region to provide the opportunity for native plants and animals to increase in population and flourish in their natural breeding habitat.
