New Paper Shows Invasive Species Removal is a Nature-Based Solution for Climate Resilience
Island Conservation and partners have published a new paper quantifying ecosystem resilience on restored islands!
Restoring islands for nature and people worldwide.
Published on
June 12, 2019
Written by
stephanie
Photo credit
stephanie
The Virgin Islands are a biodiverse group of islands and islets within the Caribbean that host a plethora of seabirds and boast spectacular coral reef habitat. Protecting these ecosystems is integral and they are under threat from a myriad of invasive species including feral cats, goats, and rats.
One of the most notable species is the Magnificent Frigate bird of which a colony is currently being protected and managed within the Great Tobago National Park by the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands. The well-being of this species is currently threatened by the presence of feral goats, which the National Parks Trust are actively working to remove. Feral goats were introduced by European settlers and in conjunction with their harm to native bird colonies, they also pose a threat to rare, native plants, through overgrazing and have an adverse effect on sensitive coral reef habitats due to increased sedimentation.
The introduction of feral and outdoor cats is another tremendous stressor on wildlife on the islands. When left outside, they kill millions of wild birds each year and threaten lizards, frogs, and the Critically Endangered Anegada Rock Iguana. This is just one of many reasons why keeping domestic cats indoors is so beneficial to wildlife.
Invasive rats are also a source of harm and have proliferated across the Virgin Islands; originally introduced as stowaways on ships. They may be small, but their impacts on native wildlife and plants is anything but. They spread disease and have caused extinctions of a number of island species. When traveling to the islands, or anywhere that is suffering from the effects of invasive rats, storing food in rat-proof containers to avoid spreading the invasive rats to new locations is crucial. Always check your belongings while traveling to ensure an invasive rat is not hitching a free ride by boat.
Source: National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands
Featured Photo: Aerial view of the British Virgin Islands.
Credit: dajinx46
Check out other journal entries we think you might be interested in.
Island Conservation and partners have published a new paper quantifying ecosystem resilience on restored islands!
Climate Week NYC: what is it and why is it important? Read on to find out why Island Conservation is attending this amazing event!
With sea levels on the rise, how are the coastlines of islands transforming? Read on to find out how dynamic islands really are!
Join us in celebrating the most amazing sights from around the world by checking out these fantastic conservation photos!
Rare will support the effort to restore island-ocean ecosystems by engaging the Coastal 500 network of local leaders in safeguarding biodiversity (Arlington, VA, USA) Today, international conservation organization Rare announced it has joined the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC), a global effort to…
Island Conservation accepts cryptocurrency donations. Make an impact using your digital wallet today!
For Immediate Release Conservation powerhouse BirdLife South Africa has joined the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC) – a global initiative aiming to restore, rewild and protect islands, oceans and communities – to support its work to save internationally significant albatross populations…
Video captures insights and hopes from the partners who are working to restore Lehua Island, Hawai’i. In 2021, Lehua Island officially became free from the threat of invasive rodents. This is a huge accomplishment that has enriched the region’s biodiversity…
Carolina Torres describes how the project to restore and rewild Floreana Island signals hope for a future where people and nature can thrive together in the Galápagos.
A new plan to restore seabird habitats in areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster includes invasive species removal.