A Safer Nest: Restoring Lehua Island

Lehua Island Restoration Project aims to protect native Hawaiian seabird nesting habitat.

What would happen to all the migratory birds if they didn’t have islands to rest and nest on? Islands are critically important land masses for birds that fly long distances over the open ocean. Without these safe rest stops and nesting sites, migration and brooding would be impossible. Lehua Island could be a gateway to recovery for native Hawaiian seabirds if invasive rats are removed. Invasive rats prey on seabird eggs, chicks, and even adults. The Endangered Newell’s Shearwater and Vulnerable Hawaiian Petrel are just two of many seabird species expected to benefit from this conservation effort.The island’s high elevation is crucial to the survival of many seabirds as climate change continues to impact nesting habitat on low-lying islands.

island-conservation-preventing-extinctions-seabirds-hawaii-hawaiian-petrel
Hawaiian Petrel chick. Credit: Andre Raine/Kaua’i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project

Featured photo: Shearwater chick on Lehua Island. Credit: Island Conservation

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