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Island Conservation
Isla de la Plata, Ecuador is a small island (1,420 ha) that is part of the Machalilla National Park in Manabi, located 40 km off the coast near Puerto Lopez. This island is the country’s most important seabird breeding site outside of the Galapagos. Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) breed on only two islands globally; on Isla Española in the Galápagos and on Isla de la Plata where up to 15 pairs have been observed.
Feral goats are one of the greatest threats to the insular biodiversity that Ecuador’s National Park system was established to protect. However, The Galapagos National Park has become a world leader in removing feral goats from islands, having removed goats from the largest two islands (Santiago and Isabela). A recent initiative saw the Galapagos National Park (GNP) providing technical assistance to the Machalilla National Park Service (MNPS) to remove feral goats from Isla de la Plata. The Ecuadorian NGO Equilibrio Azul and the American NGO Island Conservation facilitated the action.
In January and March 2008, the GNPS removed 59 feral goats. It is believed that these were the last feral goats on Isla de la Plata and that the island is now goat free.
Vegetation on Plata has seen rapid re-growth with the recent rains and without goats – good news for the native wildlife. Recovery of vegetation has also been swift on the Galapagos Islands where goats have been removed. On Santiago Island a small ground dwelling bird, the Galapagos rail, increased more than ten-fold after goats and pigs were removed.Species of endemic plants, once rare on Santiago have dramatically increased in numbers.
The Galapagos National Park expertise has also assisted in removing goats from Guadalupe Island, Mexico. The Isla de la Plata restoration project is a prime example of how Ecuadorian governmental departments, local and international NGOs can work together to deliver measurable and meaningful results.
Check out other journal entries we think you might be interested in.
June 12, 2013
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…
May 1, 2012
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…
May 1, 2012
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…
February 16, 2012
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…
September 26, 2011
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…
September 12, 2011
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…
September 7, 2011
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…
July 5, 2011
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…
April 27, 2011
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…
March 31, 2011
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…