Tetiaroa Atoll is recognised as one of the most important seabird breeding sites in French Polynesia, hosting eleven breeding species, including three IUCN locally-threatened species. However, many additional seabird species are absent because of invasive rats that prey on eggs and chicks. With the eradication of rats and other invasive species from Tetiaroa, an important opportunity exists to restore lost seabird species through established seabird social attraction techniques, and provide an example for using this conservation approach on other islands. Restoration of seabirds is not only important for species conservation but also to strengthen the key roles seabirds play in atoll ecosystems. The Tetiaroa Atoll Restoration Programme (TARP) has been underway since 2018 and has removed invasive rats and yellow crazy ants and is now monitoring responses to these conservation interventions across terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The project proposes to use social attraction methods to re-establish populations of lost seabird species, starting with wedge-tailed shearwaters.
Duration: 36 months
