After invasive rats stimulate their disappearance from the island of Kamaka over a century ago , Polynesian storm - petrels have now been descry fall to the area , with the hopes that the site will become a safe haven for the peril seabirds to nest in .
The birds ’ long - awaited riposte is the result of a years - long , multiorganization effort to restore and rewild Kamaka , a flyspeck French Polynesian island ground in the southward of the Pacific Ocean .
One of the key parts of the project was disembarrass the island ofinvasive rat specie . As ground - nesting birds , the storm - petrels ’ eggs and flightless young were in particular vulnerable to being preyed upon by the rodents , conduce to the expiration of the hoot from the island – and a dwindle away population in the rest of their habitat .
The storm-petrels have been spotted exploring the nesting boxes put in place.Image credit: Island Conservation
With the use of laggard , the squad behind the project were able to completely wipe out the invasive rodent from the island in 2022 .
The next major step was to inveigle the birds back to the island , and it ’s here where the team had to get a bit creative . They utilized what they call a “ societal attraction ” scheme , which first call for recording the sounds of a storm - petrel colony on a nearby island .
Alongside four live - in burrow and movement - sensing photographic camera , the squad instal two solar - powered sound organization on Kamaka determine to circularize the commemorate sounds .
The installations take place in March 2024 , just beforebreeding time of year – within one calendar month , the first storm - petrel was blob back on the island . By June , multiple birds were seen and were even spotted in the burrows .
“ The effect of our social attraction efforts were quickly manifest – Polynesian storm - petrel began see at the showtime of the nesting time of year and became unconstipated visitors , while also drop time in the nest box , ” said Thomas Ghestemme from SOP MANU , one of the organization involved in the project , in astatement .
It ’s a positive sign for a species with only 250 to 1,000 individuals figure to remain in the natural state and the team hope that with a dependable place to nest , that number will get a much - needed boost .
“ The quick paying back of these Bronx cheer scouting for next nesting sites provides an outstanding opportunity to establish another dependable breeding population , ” say Coral Wolf , Conservation Impact Manager at Island Conservation , another of the conservation organizations taking part in the project .
“ This remarkable advance fetch hope for the future , as the Polynesian storm - petrel reclaim their island menage , ” added Tehotu Reasin , landowner of Kamaka Island . “ These seabirds bring decisive food from the sea to the island , which cascade down down into the border marine surround benefiting fish and corals . ”
“ The integral ecosystem can once again expand . ”
