Island Conservation
Kiwi once thrived throughout New Zealand but began to decline when invasive predators arrived. Conservationists are working to save the species, but the future is uncertain. What would New Zealand be like without its native Kiwi? New Zealand’s national bird, the Kiwi, once numbered in the millions throughout the island nation, but today only 68,000 […]
Conservationists in New Zealand are implementing a captive breeding program to give the native Kākā a boost in genetic diversity. New Zealand’s native Kākā bird is one of many forest birds under threat due to the presence of mammalian predators. The large parrot stands out with its greyish-brown body with splashes of red and orange on […]
New research reveals that the New Zealand Kākāpō supplements its hormones with compounds similar to those found in native fruits and seeds. Sirocco the Kākāpō has made the New Zealand flightless parrot species famous, but with fewer than 200 individuals, the beloved bird is at serious risk of Extinction. The Critically Endangered Kākāpō is a […]
After the Island Invasives Conference, James Russel explores the high latitude island of St. Kilda which has had human influence for thousands of years. St. Kilda is a remote island group in the North Atlantic off the coast of Scotland. Having made it to Scotland, and then the Outer Hebrides, it made sense to hop one […]
James Russell explains findings from two newly released scientific papers that highlight the importance of biosecurity. By: James Russell Invasive alien species are the major threat to islands by most metrics, and two open access papers published recently highlight this threat in different ways. In Nature Ecology and Evolution Wayne Dawson and colleagues identify global hotspots of […]
Native to New Zealand’s wetlands, the elusive Banded Rail is vital to the health of the ecosystem. A new discovery of the species in the Te Atatu area shows promising signs for conservation of the species and the ecosystem. Along the shores of New Zealand’s wetlands and mangroves the small footprints of an elusive and […]
On islands, invasive species removal offers major conservation gains, but to get the word out, more success stories must be told. An international conference focused on the impacts and management of invasive alien species on islands is taking place at University of Dundee, Scotland July 10-14. We’re sharing research that will be presented by experts in […]
New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 project garners attention as conservationists watch to see how developing technology will support island restoration. New Zealand has one of the highest proportions of threatened species to non-threatened species in the world and is a hotspot for invasive species. Although the island nation has been dealing with invasive predators for […]
Conservationists in New Zealand work to save the Mahoenui Giant Wētā, a native Endangered insect threatened by invasive rodents. The Mahoenui Giant Wētā is one of the world’s largest insects. The mouse-sized insect is endemic to the Mahoenui region of New Zealand. Giant Wētā are considered by many to be ugly. They smell, and are uncomfortably large. The […]
A report from New Zealand’s Commissioner for the Environment finds native birds are under a greater threat than previously understood. New Zealand is an island nation full of endemic flora and fauna, but a recent report suggests native birds are under more pressure than previously understood. A new report, Taonga of an Island Nation: Saving […]