Island Conservation
The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands appoints Indigena Biosecurity International to deliver a five year non-native plant management project. The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI), Antarctica, announced that a project to remove invasive plants in the region is underway. The project will be carried out by Indigena […]
Wētā are giant insects that live in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world. There are many subspecies of Wētā; these can be found in trees, lowlands, caves, sand dunes, and soil. They look similar to grasshoppers, except for the obvious difference in size. New Zealand’s indigenous people, Maori, call Wētā “punga,” meaning the “spirit of […]
The polarized New Zealand Alpine Parrot, “Kea”, faces extinction due to invasive species and other threats. Kea are one of the most maligned of New Zealand birds, as well as one of our most loved. -Tamsin Orr-Walker, chair of the Kea Conservation Trust The New Zealand Kea (Nestor notabilis), ranked Vulnerable by the International Union […]
Island Conservation’s co-founder Bernie Tershy reflects on how island restoration programs serve to protect biodiversity and prevent extinctions. An uninterrupted stream of bad news about the environment reminds us that we are in the midst of an extinction crisis, which can leave us overwhelmed with hopelessness. But, hope is not as scarce as you might […]
The Critically Endangered Lord Howe Island Stick Insect, once believed to be extinct, is being successfully bred in captivity. The Lord Howe Stick Insect or “Tree Lobster” faced near-extinction when invasive black rats arrived on Lord Howe Island off of Australia. Due to the presence of invasive rats, Lord Howe Island was depleted of its native […]
Hawai’i’s iconic Honeycreepers face a number of threats. To avoid extinction, these beautiful native birds are in need of immediate conservation intervention. Bright red wings streak across a grey sky. Yellow feathers flash amid quivering green leaves. Soft songs punctuated by raspy cheeps rise up from trees swathed in the dawn’s faint light. Long, narrow bills plunge […]
Research discovers that Diego the Giant Tortoise has helped to save his species from extinction by fathering hundreds of baby tortoises. All was well with Espanola Giant Tortoises (Chelonoidis hoodensis) in the Galápagos–until invasive rats were introduced by pirates and infiltrated the island ecosystem. The presence of rats made reproduction extremely difficult and often unsuccessful […]
Invasive species degrade island ecosystems and threaten local and global biodiversity. This year, the World Conservation Congress was held in Hawaii. Hawaii is a biodiversity hotspot desperately in need of conservation measures. Its plants and wildlife have become severely threatened by invasive species brought to the island by people. Of the 415 endemic species assessed for […]
Santa Cruz Island has been plagued by invasive species for decades, but conservation efforts are helping to restore the native ecosystem. The Santa Cruz Island ecosystem encountered cattle, sheep, and pigs for the first time ever when ranchers arrived in the 1800’s. Over the next century, these novel species would wreak havoc on the natural […]
Conservationists plan to restore Redonda Island by removing damaging invasive species. Redonda, a Caribbean island that is part of Antigua and Barbuda, was once a brilliant ecosystem. The island is home to a variety of plants and animals including endemic lizards. It’s also an Important Bird Area (IBA), meaning that it supports globally significant seabirds. Due […]