Island Conservation
Loop Tonga recently covered our successful operation to protect native biodiversity on the islands of Malinoa and Motu Tapu in Tonga, Polynesia by removing invasive rats. The project to restore Malinoa and Motu Tapu was carried out by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Island Conservation and the Government of Tonga. On May 24, 2016, the partners […]
The second-known land mammal to be a native of Hawaii has been identified. Sadly, it’s extinct. In 1981, the remains of an unknown species were found in a lava tube on Maui. Researchers struggled for decades to identify the species. This year, they finally arrived at their answer. The remains belong to a unique subcategory of the Evening or Vesper […]
Island Conservation is teaming up with partners to remove invasive mice from Antipodes Island. The mice have altered the biodiversity of the island by preying on native plant and animal species–they have already wiped out two insect species. The Million Dollar Mouse restoration project aims to put an end to the destruction caused by these invasive […]
The Endangered Northern Quoll might be one of the cutest threatened native Australian species there is. This small mammal with big eyes and long whiskers recently experienced a devastating population crash. Why? We think invasive and introduced species are to blame…Particularly cats and feral herbivores like cattle pigs and buffalo. – Anthony Simms, senior project […]
In the beginning, Tromelin Island, a small, remote land mass off the coast of Madagascar, was a healthy home for a variety of bird and plant species. The island was beautiful and thriving until one day when people accidentally introduced rats. The island’s ecosystem began to collapse–six of the eight bird species native to the island could not cope […]
When a rare animal species native to a biodiversity hotspot goes extinct, the entire ecosystem is at risk. The loss of a rare animal species has cascading effects on ecosystems, according to a study by researchers at the National Institute of Amazonian Research in Manaus, Brazil. Rare species occupy important environmental niches. These species often make specialized contributions to the […]
Though they make up less than 5% of the world’s land mass, islands are home to 20% of bird, plant, and reptile species. The Seychelles Islands are among these major hotspots for biodiversity. Quarter-ton tortoises, minuscule frogs, charismatic birds and many other astonishing species have long lived together in the dazzling Seychelles landscape. However, hundreds of years of […]
Two incredible Island Conservation staff members are joining the Million Dollar Mouse Project to save the Antipodes Islands! Island Conservation staff will be working with a team from New Zealand’s Department of Conservation to remove invasive mice which are impacting the invertebrates, vegetation and birds, and destroying the nutrient cycle on the main Antipodes Island. Following removal, the […]
A few rare California grasslands have a unique quality–the soil contains the mineral serpentinite. That unusual trait has a surprising advantage for such grasslands. Serpentine soil is low in calcium and other common plant nutrients, while rich in elements toxic to plants. Very few plants, some of which are found nowhere else in the world, can grow in serpentine soil. […]
Conservation intervention relieved the Channel Island ecosystems from the pressures of invasive species. Island Conservation’s headquarters is located in Santa Cruz, California, so the news about invasive species on the Channel Islands is quite literally close to home. Anacapa Island of the Channel Islands, California. Photo by Island Conservation Invasive species arrived at the islands via human activities, […]