Island Conservation
The New Zealand Department of Conservation has successfully eradicated invasive ants from Tiritiri Matanga Island, New Zealand. If ants have ever invaded your home, you know what a nuisance they can be–it can be very difficult to completely get rid of these persistent pests. Now imagine trying to eradicate ants from an entire island. Sound impossible? It’s […]
Snipe, Penguins, Parakeets, and Petrels are some of the many bird species that live and nest on Antipodes Island. In addition to this impressive variety of winged natives, a diversity of plants and insects call Antipodes Island home. But there used to be more. Since the accidental introduction of mice in the 1800’s, the unique native flora […]
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 […]
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 […]
Conservationists celebrate the successful breeding season of the Tāiko, a Critically Endangered seabird native to New Zealand. One of New Zealand’s most endangered birds just had a very successful breeding season! The Chatham Island Tāiko, also known as the Magenta Petrel, is a Critically Endangered seabird and was thought to be extinct for over 100 […]
Working with local people is key when it comes to protecting native wildlife. Conservationists from the Isles of Scilly Seabird Recovery Project and restoration specialists from Wildlife Management International jointed together with local volunteers to eradicate invasive rats that were killing seabirds. Manx Shearwater chick. Photo by Nick Tomalin Since the removal of the rat population, […]
The LA Times recently covered a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that highlights the benefits of invasive species eradication. One of the authors of the paper and Island Conservation’s Director of Science Nick Holmes calls the paper a “story of hope.” The study examined the impacts of eradication projects on islands in New Zealand, Australia, Ecuador, Seychelles, […]
We have some uplifting news to brighten any bird-lover’s or conservationist’s day! “Wisdom,” a 64-year-old Laysan Albatross, has returned to her home on Midway Atoll, Hawaii to nest after a year of absence. Laysan Albatrosses are migratory birds and spend much of their time in the air until they settle on a remote island in groups […]
New paper identifies every island worldwide where seabirds are threatened by invasive species. Contact: Sally Esposito, sally.esposito@islandconservation.org, 706.969.2783 Santa Cruz, CA – To guide island-based seabird conservation actions, a new peer-reviewed paper has been published in the journal Conservation Biology. The paper identifies, for the first time ever, every single island and islet worldwide where globally threatened seabirds breed, as well […]