The joint assessment was spearheaded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Caribbean Coastal Program and Island Conservation, with fieldwork concluded in December 2025. Invasive black rats were identified on five cays, while green iguanas were documented on a single island. To restore historical populations of laughing gulls and other seabirds, biologists may broadcast recorded bird calls to draw nesting pairs back to the protected areas. This acoustic attraction strategy mirrors methods previously deployed at Puerto Rico's Desecheo Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Key points
Invasive black rats pose an ongoing predatory threat to vulnerable seabird chicks and egg…: Invasive black rats pose an ongoing predatory threat to vulnerable seabird chicks and eggs across the cays.
Wildlife teams are evaluating plans to eradicate the detected pests and install safeguard…: Wildlife teams are evaluating plans to eradicate the detected pests and install safeguards to prevent future reinvasions.
Conservationists may broadcast recorded bird calls to encourage seabirds to recolonize th…: Conservationists may broadcast recorded bird calls to encourage seabirds to recolonize the restored nesting habitats.
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Islands are often considered safe havens for wildlife, away from the rushing development of humanity, particularly for seabirds that depend on remote and undisturbed locations to lay their eggs and raise their young. However, humans cannot take a rest; human activities have led to the introduction of non-native invasive species to the islands. These animal species can disturb the balance, putting species that have depended on these habitats for generations at risk. Now, a wildlife assessment in the Caribbean has revealed the presence of invasive animals on several small islands, highlighting the challenges conservationists face in protecting these nesting grounds.
The assessment was carried out across six offshore cays managed by Virgin Islands National Park in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Preliminary findings recorded black rats on five of the islands and green iguanas on one, giving wildlife teams a better understanding of the threats that could affect local seabird populations.
The project was led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Caribbean Coastal Program in partnership with Island Conservation, a nonprofit organisation that works to restore island ecosystems by removing…
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