Islands

Island ecosystems are self-contained and isolated, physically cut off from the rest of the world. Thus, they have often developed a distinct and unique ecology that has evolved over time. Even though islands make up only 5% of land on Earth:

• 20% of the world’s bird, reptile and plant species live on islands and nowhere else.
• Around 61% of recorded extinctions globally since the beginning of the 15th century (historic time) have occurred on islands. Oof!

Island ecosystems are particularly susceptible to the effects of human activity, such as hunting, habitat alteration and the effects of introduced invasive species.

Outsized Returns on Conservation Investments

Island Conservation is a nonprofit whose work revolves around removing invasive animals and plants to restore islands for nature and people. Examples of their projects:

• On Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, native trees increased 5,000% after invasive rat removal.
• Four years after invasive rodents were removed from Pinzon Island in the Galapagos, hatchlings of the Pinzon Giant Tortoise (extinct in the wild) were able to survive in the wild for the first time in 150 years.
• For the first time in more than 40 years a Peruvian Diving-petrel chick has hatched (naturally) on Chañaral Island in Chile, representing a significant milestone on an island no longer devastated by invasive rabbits and foxes. 

And because everything is interconnected, what Island Conservation has found is that healthy island biodiversity, including nesting seabirds, bring nutrients that feed the surrounding coral and marine ecosystems, leading to increased resilience in the face of climate change and a healthier planet for all.