Species lists can mislead: Island management should map species interactions

Seed dispersal is essential for plant regeneration, especially on islands where many plants rely on animals to move seeds to safe places to survive. But because this process is hard to observe directly, conservation decisions often fall back on easier measures such as species counts. This can be misleading, because ecosystems are not only defined by the species they contain, but also by the relationships … Continue reading Species lists can mislead: Island management should map species interactions

Research stories: Boxing for conservation

Authors Brian Burke and Darren O’Connell discuss the conservation of roseate terns at Europe’s largest colony on Rockabill Island in Dublin, Ireland, with their latest research highlighting the important role artificial nestboxes have played in the species’ population growth and recovery. The role of a tern warden on Rockabill Island has been described on more than one occasion as a dream job. A summer spent … Continue reading Research stories: Boxing for conservation

Tortoises are unlikely to be detrimental for endemic skinks. A Telfair’s skink is basking on the head of an introduced Aldabra giant tortoise. Photo Nik Cole.

Seven years of rewilding with giant tortoises

Rosemary Moorhouse-Gann speaks on their latest research which investigates how rewilding Giant Tortoise can affect an Island ecosystem. The dodo, perhaps the most famous animal originating from Mauritius, is tragically extinct. Less well known are the two extinct species of giant tortoise that were found only in Mauritius. You can see shadows of the lost tortoises in Mauritian plant communities today, in the form of … Continue reading Seven years of rewilding with giant tortoises