Abstract
The Ultramarine Lory, Vini ultramarina, is one of the least known and most threatened of all the insular Jory species. Known only from the Marquesas archipelago, it is a species of special concern for the Marquesan islanders as well as the Office of Environment for French Polynesia. Its distribution included the islands of Nuka Hiva, Ua Pou, Hiva Oa and Ua Huka, being extirpated from all but the latter island. A special expedition in November 1991, co-sponsored by the Office of the Environment (F.P.) and the Zoological Society of San Diego (ZSSD),found no lories on Nuka Hiva or Ua Pou and a population of between 1,000 and 1,500 individuals on Ua Huka. Although this population is fiercely protected by the Ua Hukan islanders, its future is of much concern due to the prospect of the construction of a wharf to be built in 1993. Such development will allow the docking of large cargo ships which will lead to the potential invasion of exotic rat species and further anthropogenic activities, i.e. industry, agriculture, and urban development. Such factors, in addition to cats, a large goat population, possible presence of avian malaria and the introduction of the Common Mynah and Great Horned Owl have led to the extinction of the Ultramarine Lory on all of the other islands.In accordance with the draft recommendations of the ICBP/ IUCN/CBSG Parrot Action Plan for V ultramarina, the Zoological Society of San Diego undertook the first step of an experimental translocation of this lory species from Ua Huka to Fatu Hiva, the most southerly of all the Marquesan Islands. This decision was based on the prehistoric evidence of the presence of the Ultramarine Lory in Fatu Hiva and the pristine nature of the island, having few of the environmentally negative features of Ua Huka; i.e. no wharf introduced rat species, no introduced avian competitors or predators (mynah, owl, harrier), and a controlled goat population which has allowed the island to maintain good primary and secondary forest cover. In addition, Fatu Hiva has many of the plant species known to be food plants for the lory, including kava, banana, coconut, coral tree, '' ahaia ," mango, '' tamanu," and Tahitian mango.
In August 1992, ZSSJ? staff, accompanied by personnel from F.P. Office of the Environment and the rural Economy Service, travelled to Ua Huka and spent 10 days mist-netting Ultramarine Lories. Hampered by the unseasonable rains caused by Hurricane Omar, the total capture was seven lories.