Project Details
Project Description
Information to assess the conservation status of the Vanuatu and magnificent petrel, and develop a management plan for both, will be generated through field research. This will cover broad-scale surveys and sampling from individual birds. Training for local communities, and wider outreach, will be achieved through an engagement plan across local and national social scales. This approach will follow that of successful conservation management research our group has conducted in the past, notably in conserving endemic birds in collaboration with the local community on Norfolk Island, Australia.
Colony surveys will provide the fundamental data to assess the status of the Vanuatu and magnificent petrel. These will entail mapping burrows, and counting birds discovered in burrows and moving around the colony, to determine the number of breeding pairs and single individuals in the population. Taxonomy will be assessed by obtaining a variety of biological information from a subset of 40 individuals. This will include molecular samples, and images and measurements of key features such as the bill and tail, to comprehensively compare Vanuatu and magnificent petrels to closely-related taxa. Tracking will be central to developing an appropriate management plan, as each species’ distribution must be known to determine what threats they face. Tracking will entail placing small GPS biologger units to the tails of 20 of each species while at their burrows, and collecting these units after 5-6 weeks to recover data on where the birds have moved during that time.
We will also use a variety of survey methods on Vanua Lava to determine terrestrial threats to Vanuatu and magnificent petrel. This will include assessing risks posed by extreme weather and environmental catastrophes, and using a remote camera network to assess whether invasive predators (cats, rats, dogs, and pigs) are significantly affecting breeding birds. These threats have been identified specifically, as they are anecdotally known to be present on Vanua Lava. Pre-emptive methods are being considered to mitigate these threats. Localised reduction/eradication efforts to decrease predator activity in bird breeding areas may include trapping, baiting, and exclosures. Artificial burrow provision would provide security against extreme weather. To ensure comprehensive and representative research effort, we intend to visit Vanua Lava three times, once each in the Summer/Autumn of 2023, 2024, and 2025, for 6-8 weeks.
Direct participation will be the primary vehicle for training local communities. In all of the activities described above, we will engage directly with indigenous peoples on Vanua Lava (facilitated by the Vanuatu DEPC) to have interested local people participate in the research. Our primary focus will be engaging people in colony surveying and threat assessment on Vanua Lava, as these are the skills that are most important for ongoing monitoring. While on Vanua Lava, we intend to host two general information sessions per field season in Sola (the population centre of the island) one each at the start and end of each field season. The purpose of these sessions will be to provide the broader community with information on our planned research and findings, and provide the opportunity for any interested parties to engage with our project.
Colony surveys will provide the fundamental data to assess the status of the Vanuatu and magnificent petrel. These will entail mapping burrows, and counting birds discovered in burrows and moving around the colony, to determine the number of breeding pairs and single individuals in the population. Taxonomy will be assessed by obtaining a variety of biological information from a subset of 40 individuals. This will include molecular samples, and images and measurements of key features such as the bill and tail, to comprehensively compare Vanuatu and magnificent petrels to closely-related taxa. Tracking will be central to developing an appropriate management plan, as each species’ distribution must be known to determine what threats they face. Tracking will entail placing small GPS biologger units to the tails of 20 of each species while at their burrows, and collecting these units after 5-6 weeks to recover data on where the birds have moved during that time.
We will also use a variety of survey methods on Vanua Lava to determine terrestrial threats to Vanuatu and magnificent petrel. This will include assessing risks posed by extreme weather and environmental catastrophes, and using a remote camera network to assess whether invasive predators (cats, rats, dogs, and pigs) are significantly affecting breeding birds. These threats have been identified specifically, as they are anecdotally known to be present on Vanua Lava. Pre-emptive methods are being considered to mitigate these threats. Localised reduction/eradication efforts to decrease predator activity in bird breeding areas may include trapping, baiting, and exclosures. Artificial burrow provision would provide security against extreme weather. To ensure comprehensive and representative research effort, we intend to visit Vanua Lava three times, once each in the Summer/Autumn of 2023, 2024, and 2025, for 6-8 weeks.
Direct participation will be the primary vehicle for training local communities. In all of the activities described above, we will engage directly with indigenous peoples on Vanua Lava (facilitated by the Vanuatu DEPC) to have interested local people participate in the research. Our primary focus will be engaging people in colony surveying and threat assessment on Vanua Lava, as these are the skills that are most important for ongoing monitoring. While on Vanua Lava, we intend to host two general information sessions per field season in Sola (the population centre of the island) one each at the start and end of each field season. The purpose of these sessions will be to provide the broader community with information on our planned research and findings, and provide the opportunity for any interested parties to engage with our project.
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 1/02/23 → 1/02/26 |