In the heart of Samoa, a powerful story of collaboration is unfolding, bringing together communities, governments, and conservation experts to protect one of the Pacific’s ecological treasures: Nu‘utele Island. 

Island Conservation, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), BirdLife International, and  the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP),  under the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS), has launched a bold restoration initiative to rebuild the natural systems that sustain life on and around the island. Harmful, destructive feral pigs and invasive rats pose a serious threat to native wildlife—especially seabirds, whose nesting grounds have been disrupted for decades. By removing these invasive species, the project aims to restore and protect native seabirds, the island’s near-pristine forest, and surrounding coral reef ecosystems, creating a ripple effect of ecological recovery. 

Healthy seabird populations play a vital role in nutrient cycling, enriching the soil and feeding nearby reefs. With invasive species gone, native plants and animals can return, seabirds can safely nest again, and the flow of nutrients from ocean to land can resume—boosting fish populations and coral resilience. 

MNRE is the project lead, guiding community consultations and decision-making. Island Conservation provides technical expertise, while BirdLife and SPREP-PRISMSS contribute regional knowledge and support. “Together, we’re applying lessons learned from past efforts and committing to long-term monitoring and potential species reintroductions on Nu’utele, including the culturally significant Maomao bird,” said Richard Griffiths, Island Conservation’s Head of Operations–Pacific. 

Nu’utele is known for its unique biodiversity and considered one of the nation’s Key Biodiversity Areas for the conservation of threatened birds, such as the Friendly Ground Dove, Maomao, Boobies, Terns, and marine species such as the Hawksbill Sea Turtle. It also hosts some of Samoa’s rarest endemic plants. It is critical we protect these ecological ecosystems before it is too late. 

The effort was part of the PRISMSS Restoring Island Resilience (RIR) Predator Free Pacific (PFP) programme, which aims to protect and restore island ecosystems by removing invasive species, with the operation enabled through financial support to the PRISMSS RIR from New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZMFAT) and the United Kingdom’s International Development. 

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