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AC TEO N & G A M B I E R
F R E N C H P O LYN E SIA
WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL? WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL?
This colourful landscape is dotted with Spotted Gum
trees, whose bark has a unique marbled pattern. The valley
hosts 132 bird species, and proximity to the coast provides
predictable rainfall, making it a refuge for two Critically
Endangered birds during droughts. These low-lying, sandy archipelagos are home to some
of the world’s rarest bird species, including the Polynesian
Ground-dove, thought to number fewer than 200 birds.
WHO LIVES HERE?
Regent Honeyeater, Swift Parrot
HOW WAS IT THREATENED?
Habitat destruction for industrial purposes is a looming
threat. In 2016, a proposal to build steelworks on a crucial
breeding site for Regent Honeyeaters was approved by the
council.
OUR RESPONSE:
BirdLife Australia used extensive research to prove the
proposal had downplayed the site’s ecological importance.
The government rejected the plan, recognising that it
would have put this special bird in “grave peril”.
OCT-DEC 2019 • BIRDLIFE
WHO LIVES HERE?
Polynesian Ground-dove, Tuamotu Sandpiper, Polynesian
Storm-petrel
HOW WAS IT THREATENED?
The ecosystem was being destroyed by invasive mammals
including cats and black rats, who not only ate native birds
and eggs, but also competed with them for food.
OUR RESPONSE:
In one of the most ambitious island restorations ever
attempted (with supporters such as the Angry Birds
smartphone game), helicopters and ships transported
hundreds of tonnes of equipment and bait across the
archipelagos. Five of the six target islands are now
predator-free, and coconut growth has doubled,
supporting local communities.
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