Island Conservation

Island Conservation, and Its Partners at the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, North Carolina Zoo, and Greensboro Science Center Are Proposing to Establish a New Population of the Endangered Virgin Islands Tree Boa Through the Eradication of Invasive Rats From Savana Island, U.s. Virgin Islands. the Vi Boa Population Is Limited to as Few as 1,500 Individuals and Restricted to Seven Widely Dispersed Sites in Puerto Rico and the U.s. and British Virgin Islands, Many of Which Are Threatened by Damaging Invasive Species (e.g., Rodents, Cats) and Sea Level Rise. With the Help and Support of the U.s. Fish and Wildlife Service and Other Experts, the Partnership Identified That Establishing a New Population of Vi Boas on Savana Island Is a Critical Action for Conserving This Threatened Species. by Eradicating Rats, the Habitat on Savana Will Be Made Suitable to Establish a Brand-new Population of Boas and Pave the Way for Other Vi Boa Introductions in the Region. Two Vi Boa Populations Were Established on Offshore Cays in the 1990S After the Successful Eradication of Rats and Hundreds of Successful Rat Eradications Have Been Safely Conducted Across the Globe. This Project Will Establish an Additional Vi Boa Population Where Threats From Invasive Mammals Are Not Present and Where Sea Level Rise Will Have Minimal Impact on the Habitat or the Boa. We Aim to Complete the Most Cost-effective Rat Eradication Strategy With the Greatest Likelihood of Success by Conducting an Aerial Broadcast of a Specialized Rodent Bait Across the Island. in Parallel, We Will Work With Partners to Put in Place Comprehensive and Practical Biosecurity Measures for Prevention, Surveillance, and Response to Rat Incursions and New Invasive Threats So That Our Efforts and Valuable Conservation Funding Will Be Protected in the Future. Twelve Months After the Eradication, a Team Will Return to Savana to Initiate the Confirmation Phase to Determine the Success of the Eradication. Using a Suite of Detection Tools Such as Camera Traps, Ultrasonic Recorders, and Tracking Tunnels, the Team Will Collect Science-based Data to Confirm the Project Was Successful in Eradicating Rats. Once the Island Is Confirmed Free of Rats, We Will Collaborate With Partners to Create a Workplan for Translocating the Vi Boa Population From Existing Populations in the U.s. Virgin Islands and From a Captive Facility to Savana Island Through an In-person Workshop. as a Project Outcome, Partners Will Establish the Largest Protected, Threat-free Refuge for the Vi Boa, Helping the Species Recovery, Enhancing Essential Habitat, and Creating a Pathway to Establish Additional Vi Boa Populations Within Puerto Rico (e.g., Culebrita and Luis Pea) and the U.s. Virgin Islands.