Dawn of New Era: Kingdom of Tonga Undertakes Historic Conservation Milestone

Photo from sprep.org

In a groundbreaking conservation initiative, Late Island in the Kingdom of Tonga stands as potentially the largest island in the Pacific to have been cleared of invasive rats, setting a remarkable benchmark for similar endeavors across the globe.

The Director of Tonga’s Environment Department, a key partner in the project, Ms Atelaite Lupe Matoto, welcomes the initiative.

“Removing invasive species like rats is one of the most cost-effective tools the country has for restoring the resilience of its natural ecosystems and its communities,” she said.

“The primary problem for Tonga is that invasive species like rats and weeds are weakening the resilience of natural ecosystems and increasing the vulnerability of our communities to the increasing impacts of climate change. Controlling invasive species, like rats and weeds can protect our biodiversity and strengthen the resilience of our forests, catchment areas, and reefs, providing protection from cyclones, increasing food security, and creating opportunities from activities such as eco-tourism.”

Late Island is a sanctuary of biodiversity for Tonga. It supports one of Tonga’s largest intact tropical broadleaf forest ecosystems, one of the most threatened ecosystem types in the world. This tropical forest provides a stronghold for several globally threatened species including the Friendly Ground-dove and Tongan Whistler.

But as on many islands, invasive rats wreaked havoc on native species, devouring eggs, and threatening the essential nutrient cycle that supports the islands fringing reefs.