BirdLife Pacific Invasive Species Programme

A recent meeting in Auckland finalised project activities which include eradicating rodents (in French Polynesia, Palau, and the Cook Islands) and controlling pigs and deer (in New Caledonia) within areas of high conservation value.

The BirdLife Pacific Partnership has started a new four-year European Union funded regional Invasive Species programme which seeks to reduce the spread and the environmental and socio-economic impact of invasive alien species by supporting the eradication and control of invasive alien species and also enhancing biosecurity.

BirdLife Partners involved in the programme are Te Ipukerea Society (Cook Islands), Palau Conservation Society, NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, O Le Si’osi’omaga Society Inc. (Samoa), Société d’Ornithologie de Polynésie (French Polynesia) and Société Calédonienne d’Ornithologie (New Caledonia).

The Programme is also supported by a Technical Advisory Group which recently met in Auckland and includes the Pacific Invasives Initiative (PII), the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, University of the South Pacific, NZ Landcare Research and the NZ Department of Conservation.

The meeting finalised project activities which include eradicating rodents (in French Polynesia, Palau, and the Cook Islands) and controlling pigs and deer (in New Caledonia) within areas of high conservation value. In Fiji the programme will develop biosecurity models targeting the non-native American Iguana, mongoose and the Brown Tree Snake.

The meeting also identified the capacity, research, and monitoring needs for the programme. Among the research opportunities include support for a post graduate student to examine the social, economic and or biological impact of managing invasive alien species or related element of the programme.

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BirdLife Pacific Invasive Species Programme