Page 44 - BBC Wildlife - August 2017 UK

RAPA

RESCUE

BIRDFAIR IS HELPING THREATENED
BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE IN
FRENCH POLYNESIA THIS YEAR.
ELLA DAVIES REPORTS.

ail 8,000km east of Internationalforthe last28
Australia and you’ll spot years, raising a staggering£4.3 DUE TO ITS
the dramatic peaks of a million to support conservation LOCATION, 27 OF
Sdrowned volcano rising around the world. Recentlythe THE ISLAND’S 32 BIRD
out of the Pacific. This is Rapa – focus has been on Important
or Rapa Iti to distinguish it from Bird and Biodiversity Areas SPECIES RELY ON THE
the more famous Rapa Nui, also (IBAs), and this year proceeds MARINE ENVIRONMENT
known as Easter Island. will fund the organisation’s plans
It looks untouched, but even to protect remarkable Rapa. FOR FOOD.”
here, in the southernmost Steve Cranwell, manager
islands of French Polynesia, forthe BirdLife Pacific Island
wildlife is suffering. Despite the Restoration Programme, explains
ultra-remote setting, populations that, due to its location, 27 of
of native birds are being hit by theisland’s 32 bird species rely
the activities of human settlers on the marine environment for
andvisitors.Forests have been food. Isolated cliff faces and rock
uprooted, stowaway rats are stacks currently provideshelter
feasting on the eggsofground- for these seabirds, many of which
nesting birds and livestock is are in rapiddecline. It’s a colossal
devastating native plant life. challenge for scientists to survey
Fortunately, help is at hand such inaccessible sites, so Rapa’s
16,000km away in some seabird taxonomy is much-
meadows in England’s smallest debated, but evidence suggests
county, Rutland. Birdfair – the that a small Rapa shearwater,
massively popular annual Puffinus newelli myrtae, and
celebration of birds, birding and the local form of white-bellied
wildlife-watching in general storm-petrel, Fregetta grallaria
– has partnered with BirdLife titan, are unique to theisland.

The brightest of the land birds
is the also-endemic Rapa fruit
BIRDFAIR 2016: WHERE dove. Resplendent in tropical
DID THE MONEY GO? green and hot pink, it has sadly
become a rare sight on the
Last year’s Birdfair raised a record- island.Its foresthome has been
breaking £350,000 to protect important fragmented by development
wildlife areas in danger in Africa. and a census in April this year
Members of
The money has been vital in saving the Birdlife revealed a maximum of200
Tsitongambarika, a unique lowland Park, Nigeria. Rwanda team. individuals now survive, pushing
rainforest in southern Madagascar. The Gilbert Micomyiza is it to Critically Endangered status.
funds have also kick-started an awards team leader on a project to map, monitor Yettherearesomesanctuaries
scheme to train three teams of young and raise awareness of Rwanda’s remaining. “The islets
African conservationists. Stephen wetlands. And Chaona Phiri is heading surrounding Rapa and the Birdlife scientists
Aina is leading efforts to stem vulture up a team investigating ways to save the dramatic cliffs ringing the island studying seabird
declines in Gashaka-Gumti National Vulnerable slaty egret in Zambia. have allowed remnantsofits populations on
special native flora and fauna Rapa island.

44 BBC Wildlife August 2017