PROJECTS: RESTORING THE BALANCE

Islands are key areas for conservation because they are rich in biodiversity.

Introduced mammalian predators are devastating to island ecosystems where they impact native species directly through predation, indirectly through competition, or changes in food web dynamics. Almost half of all seabird extinctions have been caused by introduced species. In response to these biodiversity threats, techniques have been developed and improved over the past 30 years to remove introduced species from islands.

Invasive species removal has been successful on many islands around the world resulting in long-term protection for native species. This conservation measure is now considered to be one of society’s most powerful tools for preventing extinctions and restoring island ecosystems.