By: Amy Levine, Conservation Impact Director at Island Conservation

Our world today, dominated by technology and tireless commitments, can present rare opportunities for direct engagement with nature. My recent assignment to Late Island, Tonga, allowed me to explore this biodiversity-rich island. It provided an insight into an ecosystem minimally impacted by the modern world, save for the intrusion of invasive rats.

The Invasion: Rats on Late Island

In my role as the head of Island Conservation’s impact monitoring team for this expedition, my mind was focused on documenting the current pulse of Late’s biodiversity before our operations team could commence an essential mission: removing the disruptive rodents from the island. Invasive rats, much like in countless other islands globally, have unleashed chaos on Late’s delicate ecosystem, putting many native species in jeopardy. Our goal is to restore harmony to Late’s reef-to-ridge ecosystem, paving the way for the revival of its native flora and fauna.

On the Frontline: Data Collection amidst Late Island’s Diverse Biodiversity

Following a challenging journey to the rocky, volcanic shores of Late this past April, our six-person team spent 10 tireless days traversing the 4,300-acre island, collecting invaluable data to map the current status of key wildlife populations. With our skilled boat captain, we circumnavigated the island to conduct bird counts and locate seabird colonies along the coast.

We followed the island’s lone trail from the coast to the 500m high summit, installing acoustic sensors to record seabird and bat activity and setting up camera traps to document the population status of other native species. During the warm and often rainy days, we clambered along the thickly vegetated coastal forest gathering soil and leaf samples to evaluate nutrients and genetic materials that contribute to the island’s biodiversity. And at night, we conducted surveys to estimate land crab population sizes. It was a fruitful, albeit busy, mission.

The Promise of a Rejuvenated Ecosystem: Late Island sans Rats

The next step is to complete the daunting task of rat eradication. Upon successful elimination, our impact team will plan periodic post-removal monitoring trips to document nature’s resilience and ability to bounce back in the absence of the invasive threat.

Reflecting on the Journey: The Power of Nature

As my field deployment for Island Conservation came to an end, I was enveloped by a profound sense of gratitude. Late Island had granted me not just an immersive experience amidst nature’s splendor and a deeper connection with Island Conservation’s mission, it also served as a poignant reminder of the transformative impact of human interventions on preserving our natural world. I left the island re-invigorated, filled with hope that – like many islands before it – Late Island, once freed from invasive rats, would soon stand as a testament to nature’s incredible capacity for rejuvenation.