As most of our readers know, we have embarked upon a major conservation project to protect endangered seabirds, migrating turtles, and other native flora and fauna from non-native predatory rats. Importantly, we are also seeking in this ambitious project to scientifically establish for the first time the harmful impact that invasive rats can have on coral by their devastating impact on the natural ecosystem.
We are now making major progress on this project with the assistance of Island Conservation, one of the world's leaders in helping to protect native flora and fauna from invasive aliens species and hence helping to prevent species extinction. Over the past month we have been busy eradicating rats on two of the islets of Tetiaroa, motu Onetahi (where The Brando Resort is located ) and motu Honuea (a short distance from Onetahi).
When the eradication program planned for the whole atoll was delayed until 2021 because of Covid-19 complications, Tetiaroa Society and Island Conservation decided to take the opportunity, with The Brando closed, to do a ground-based eradication on these two motu. This also served to employ Tetiaroa Society staff during this economically difficult time.
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