Scientists remove all rats and pigs from Pacific island
The island of Nuutele in the Pacific Ocean was rid of invasive rats and feral pigs, after which the forest began to recover and local animals returned, the conservation organization Island Conservation said.
The island of Nuutele in the Pacific Ocean was rid of invasive rats and feral pigs, after which the forest began to recover and local animals returned, the conservation organization Island Conservation said.
The work was carried out by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Samoa (MNRE), the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Support Service (PRISMSS), Island Conservation and local residents. From March 2025 to May 2026, experts organized 12 expeditions and spent more than 130 days on the island, restoring the ecosystem and verifying the results.
“In many places, seedlings of native plants cover the forest soil. “During recent visits, I saw knee-high seedlings where reforestation had been held back,” said Paul Jacques, head of the Island Conservation project.
According to him, locals can now grow and harvest giant taro crops where previously the harvest could not be obtained. One family also grows bananas, pineapples and papayas.
After decades of absence, sea turtles have again begun nesting on the island, with earth pigeons and insects returning. Environmentalists have also discovered a species of land crab not previously seen on Nuutel.
A month after removing the invasive species, researchers found several active nests in ferns with eggs from the rare earth pigeon Shy Ground Dove. Specialists also found the nest of the endemic Samoan starling and signs of reproduction of other native birds, including the Samoan flytrap and whistle.
Nuutele is within a marine protected area. The island is home to the best preserved Samoan rainforest. In the future, ecologists plan to relocate the endangered Samoan Mao bird here and create a new population. The initial data for resettlement was supported by the International Climate Initiative of Germany (IKI). The project is designed for 2026-2032.
In July 2026 on the island of Furugelma in the Sea of Japan recorded the appearance of more than 90 chicks of a rare small spoon. According to the National Park "Land of the Leopard", the restoration of the population contributed to the preservation of habitats and constant protection of the territory.
