Island Conservation

This Multi-phase Project Will Support Restoration of Seabirds on Mona Island, Puerto Rico Through Invasive Species Eradication and Will Promote Recolonization and Colony Growth of Key Seabird Species Injured in the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Oil Spill and Benefit Other Native, Imperiled Wildlife and Habitats. Mona Island Is a 13,600-ACRE Nature Reserve Managed by Puerto Rico S Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (prdner). It Is Uninhabited and Safeguarded for Its Significant Habitat Potential for Native Wildlife, Particularly Birds. the Presence of Invasive Mammals Has Caused Local Extirpations and Reduced Remnant Populations of Native Wildlife. the Removal of Rats, Mice, Cats and Pigs on Mona Would Fully Recover the Injury From the DWH Spill for Nine Affected Seabird Species. Island Conservation, the U.s. Department of Agriculture, and the U.s. Fish and Wildlife Service, Along With Our Partners at the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Will Remove Invasive Rats, Mice, Feral Cats and Feral Pigs From Mona. Goat Removal Will Not Be Included in This Project. Trapping, Hunting and Toxicants Will Eliminate the Major Predation Threats for Seabirds and Endemic Wildlife, While Seabird Social Attraction Activities and Native and Endemic Plant Restoration Work Will Dramatically Improve Habitat Quality. the Island Is Home to More Than 400 Vascular Plants, Eight Endemic Reptile Species (including the Endangered Mona Iguana Cyclura Cornuta Stejnegeri), and at Least 24 Species of Endemic Invertebrates. It Also Hosts the Largest Breeding Colony of the Critically Endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle (eretmochelys Imbricata) in the Whole of the Caribbean Region, as Well as More Than 117 Bird Species (including the Endemic and Endangered Puerto Rico Yellowshouldered Blackbird Agelaius Xanthomus). the Island Supports a Subtropical Dry Forest Ecosystem, One of the Most Threatened Ecosystem Types in the World and One of Only Two Dryforest Sites in Puerto Rico. the Proposed Invasive Species Removal Activities Are Identified in Monas Management Plan and Will Complement Ongoing Conservation Efforts. Once These Invasive Mammals Are Removed, Social Attraction Will Facilitate the Recolonization and Growth of Several Seabird Populations, Including the Audubons Shearwater. This Near Threatened Species Is a Critical Conservation Priority for the Caribbean With Only 1% of Its Historical Population Remaining. With an Estimated Capacity for 15,000 Breeding Pairs, Mona Could Harbor a Significant Colony of This Rare Seabird. Recent Records (2016) of Audubons Shearwater and Bridled Tern Nests on Mona Suggest These Species May Be Utilizing the Island in Small Numbers, Thereby Facilitating Their Recovery After Our Restoration Efforts. the Recent Presence of at Least Five Other DWH Injured Species on Nearby Monito Island Will Provide a Promising Source Population for the Recolonization of Mona. Phase 1 of the Project Includes Launching Comprehensive Project Planning and Defining Project Management Structures. the Project Goals for the First Year Include: 1) Formalizing Project Management and Planning Structures 2) Establishing a Cooperative Agreement for Feral Pig Eradication 3) Developing Local Awareness and an Outreach Program 4) Drafting Operational Plans for Feral Pig Eradication 5) Creating Draft Trial and Research Strategies for Eliminating Rodents and Cats 6) Updating Draft Strategies for Invasive Species Removal and 7) Conducting Site Visits to Mona Island. This Project Represents a Comprehensive Effort to Restore Mona Island S Ecological Health and Recover Seabird Populations Lost During the DWH Oil Spill by Eradicating Invasive Species and Fostering the Recovery of Critical Native and Endemic Species.