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Pacific region risks losing endemic birds |
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Monday, 08 May 2006 |
Pacific region risks losing endemic birds
The Pacific region is in danger of losing its endemic birds in the next 20 to 30 years.
While Birdlife International Pacific Partnership is doing all it can to
conserve endemic species, it admits there is a serious need for the
islands to have their own conservation societies. More
importantly the Pacific needs to have the will—which the region seems
to lack-to stop the disappearance of their endemic birds. The Pacific
region, home to 289 species of globally threatened birds (24 percent of
the world’s total), has the highest extinction rate in the world.
Thirty-seven or 14 percent of these species are
critically endangered, which gives the region the dubious distinction
of recording the most extinction in any region in the world.
Of the 129 bird species that have become extinct in the world since 1500 AD, about 63 are from the Pacific region.
Two
of the most recent examples are the thick-billed ground dove found in
the Solomons but categorised as extinct in 2004, and the Poo-uli found
in Hawaii. There were only three left—two males and one female—but the
female died last year.
Most small islands nations have very
small populations and resources and only a handful of committed and
knowledgeable conservationists, Birdlife International Pacific
partnership said.
“The greatest need and challenge for the
Pacific region is to convince people that they should be doing
something to help save the region’s birds and biodiversity,� Don
Stewart of BirdLife International Pacific Partnership said.
Stewart,
who is BirdLife Pacific’s programme manager, said a large number of
these species are thought to have become extinct within the last few
decades. For example, Hawaii has nine species believed to have become
extinct since 1960.
The main causes of bird extinction are the impacts of invasive alien species and habitat destruction.
“Certainly
alien predators like rats—black rats in particular—feral cats and
mongoose have the most severe and dramatic impact on island birds.
“Invasive
species also contribute to habitat modification such as herbivores and
plants. In addition, a whole new cadre of alien species are appearing
with the potential of contributing to bird extinction, including ants
and disease vectors such as mosquitoes.�
The organisation said
threats vary from country to country depending on its social systems,
economic pressures, geography of island groups and alien species
introduced.
For example in Fiji, the single most damaging alien
species is the Indian mongoose that has extirpated all ground dwelling
birds within its range.
In French Polynesia, habitat loss is a lesser concern, but the continued spread of rats poses a huge threat.
The
European Commission is funding Birdlife to identify Important Bird Area
Identification (IBA) in four countries in the Pacific—Palau, New
Caledonia, French Polynesia and Fiji. This project is expected to be
completed by next year.
In Fiji, 14 IBA sites have been identified and a book on this is expected to be released in May.
IBA are sites large enough to support viable populations of important species.
“IBA
designation is not a legal designation nor does it force the landowner
or other users to conserve the site or change their behaviour,� Stewart
said.
“IBA designation only identifies the area as globally
important for its birds (and other biodiversity) for government, NGOs
and other people to act.
“BirdLife International has been using the IBA process since the mid-1980s and has identified IBAs across the world.�
Fiji has 29 endemic birds left from the more than 40 it is thought to have.
A major project for the organisation would be the eradication of rats on Vatu-i-Ra island in the Ra Province of Fiji.
The
island is uninhabited but is home to an internationally important
colony of seabirds, including more than 30,000 pairs of black noddys.
The
removal of rats through poisoning will reduce the predation of juvenile
seabirds and eggs and particularly benefit ground nesting species.
Stewart
said the owners of the island have been enthusiastic about the project
and they would also be trained to stop the reinvasion of rats. |
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