Abstract
More species of Eastern Polynesian landbirds have become extinct since the arrival of people than currently survive today. All of the 15 endemic species (and 40 subspecies) inhabiting French Polynesia are considered threatened or endangered. This conservation crisis facing island birds is not restricted to Polynesia alone. Ninety-three percent of the 93 species and 83 subspecies of birds which have become extinct since 1600 lived in island communities. Here in the United States, the Hawaiian islands are home to 31 endangered bird taxa, 12 of which number less than 100 individuals. Hawaii is considered to be the endangered species capital of the wor1d. Pacific Island birds are struggling against the devastating effects caused by the introduced predators, plants, disease and habitat disturbance which accompanied the arrival of humans into their fragile, small, isolated ecosystems.
In 1990, information describing the distribution of the Ultramarine Lory (Ultramarine Lorikeet, Marquesas Lorikeet, Pihiti) Vini ultramarina in the Marquesas Islands was incomplete. Based on fossil records, before the arrival of people, most or all species of flying birds in the Marquesas were found throughout the island chain. However, since the arrival of colonists, the diversity of species has been decreasing. Observations by biologists in the 1970s and 1980s reported the Ultramarine Lory to be scarce and localized on Nuku Hiva, widespread and fairly common on Ua Pou, and fairly common on Ua Huka. On Ua Huka, the population descends from two birds originating from Ua Pou and released on Ua Huka in 1941. More recently, the Lory was reported declining and restricted to higher elevations on both Nuku Hiva, where it may have been completely extirpated, and Ua Pou where it was very rare.
Due to the decline of the Ultramarine Lory in its historic range, in 1990, a conservation program was initiated by the Delegation de L'Environnement, French Polynesia and the Zoological Society of San Diego to capture and relocate birds from Ua Huka to establish a satellite population on Fatu Hiva. Management efforts involving the transferral of birds from one area to another site to establish a second population, is not a new conservation strategy, and has been used successfully for other island bird species.
The island of Fatu Hiva was chosen as the site to establish a satellite population of Ultramarine Lories because of biological, political and practical reasons. Biologically, selection of a rat-free island with essential habitat was considered the highest priority; introduced Black Rats which prey on eggs and chicks are probably the greatest cause of decline for the Lory. Decreased habitat due to agriculture and grazing herbivores, tropical storms, competition with introduced species of honeybees, and disease afflicting banana flowers may have also contributed to the decline. However, harbor improvement on Nuku Hiva and Ua Pou allowing the introduction of rats is probably the major problem. Ua Huka and Fatu Hiva do not...