Big Rat Island Seabird Habitat is Ready to Recover

After decades of restoration, Big Rat Island is on its way to becoming quality seabird habitat once again. 

The Abrolhos Islands off the coast of Western Australia have undergone years of restoration aimed to rid the archipelago of invasive species like rats, feral cats, and ice plant, which have inhibited burrowing bird species from nesting.

island conservation-sooty-tern
Sooty Tern. Photo: Chris Lewis.

The islands have a long history of mining seabird guano, and with this industry came invasive species. As with islands around the world, these invasions have harmed populations of seabirds. Dr. Nic Dunlop from the Conservation Council of Western Australia commented:

For 68 years we didn’t have a single breeding seabird recorded on Big Rat Island.

Thankfully, due to years of work, there is hope for the Abrolhos Islands. Conservation biologists and crucial stakeholders have been working since 1991 to restore this island. First, they removed the rats, and then the feral cats. Since the implementation of these projects, the conservationists have watched the seabird populations rebound.

island-conservation-sooty-tern-egg
Measuring a Sooty Tern eggs of Big Rat Island. Photo: Chris Lewis.

We’ve been monitoring the return of the seabirds to Big Rat Island since 2003 and we’ve been marking birds and trying to understand a little bit more about how the colony develops,” Dr Dunlop said.

The newest project is removing the ice plant that has invaded the island and prevented burrowing seabirds from nesting. Maryke Gray, Abrolhos Islands Project Manager for the Central Regional TAFE explained:

Not only does it completely cover the ground, it’s blocking the visual cues that the sea birds need so that they can then burrow into the area.

island-conservation-ice-plant-removal
Removal of Invasive Ice Plant on Big Rat Island. Photo: Chris Lewis.

This project aims to restore the island ecosystems and allow seabird species to recover and thrive.

Featured photo: Sooty Terns watching over their egg. Credit: Island Conservation
Source: www.abc.net.au

Back Next

Want to learn more?

Check out other journal entries we think you might be interested in.

What is Climate Week?

Climate Week NYC: what is it and why is it important? Read on to find out why Island Conservation is attending this amazing event!

Rare Joins the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge

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…

Video Footage Highlights Lehua Island Restoration Project

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…

Tequila Sunrise? Or Floreana Sunrise?

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.