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Good practice Imported

Juan Fernández Archipelago Invasive Species Control (Chile)

Chile · San Juan Bautista · See the Chile profile

Evidence: Observational / pre–post Top 96% 20/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

Since Chile's CONAF eradicated rabbits from Santa Clara islet in 2002-03, shearwater pairs there rose ~40% in three years — yet the endemic Juan Fernández firecrown hummingbird remains Critically Endangered and a national restoration plan still lacks secured funding.

40 %
Shearwater pair increase after rabbit eradication (three years post-2002-03 eradication)
3.3 hectares
Invasive-mammal exclusion fence area
108 species
Native plant species targeted for recovery
14 species
Species with fewer than 10 wild individuals known
1 hectares
Area under active restoration (current)
3000 hectares
Restoration goal by 2033
1,000–3,500 individuals
Firecrown population estimate range
Juan Fernández Archipelago Invasive Species Control (Chile)

Details

Maturity
Scaling
Promoter
CONAF (Corporación Nacional Forestal) / Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge / Island Conservation
Period
2002-present
Keywords
invasive species removal, endemic species protection, island restoration

Context

The Juan Fernández Archipelago (Robinson Crusoe, Alejandro Selkirk and Santa Clara islands), about 700 km off Chile's coast, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve holding one of the world's highest concentrations of endemic plants per unit area, alongside the Critically Endangered Juan Fernández firecrown hummingbird, found nowhere else. Introduced goats, rabbits, rats and coatis have driven extensive habitat loss since colonial times.

Objectives

The programme's goal is to eradicate invasive species and restore native flora and fauna habitat, particularly for the firecrown hummingbird.

Activities

CONAF, Chile's national forestry and parks agency, declared Santa Clara islet rabbit-free in 2003 after a 2002-03 mass-hunting and regulated-poison campaign — the first complete island rabbit eradication in Chile. On Robinson Crusoe Island, CONAF partnered with Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge and the UK's Darwin Initiative/Defra (2015-2018) on native flora restoration, plus an invasive-mammal exclusion fence at Piedra Agujereada (3.3 ha, built 2012, redesigned 2020); Island Conservation and Universidad de Concepción have supported wider monitoring, and Chile's Ministry of Environment approved a national restoration plan (RECOGE) in 2026.

Results

Pink-footed shearwater breeding pairs on Santa Clara rose roughly 40% in the three years following the rabbit eradication. The flora-restoration project targets long-term recovery of habitat for 108 endangered or rare native plant species (14 with fewer than 10 wild individuals known), with an initial 1 ha under active restoration and a 2033 goal of about 3,000 ha.

Conclusions

This remains as much a cautionary case as a success story: rats are not addressed by the current exclusion-fence design, and livestock damage continues outside fenced areas; the firecrown remains Critically Endangered, with population estimates ranging inconsistently from under 1,000 to 3,500 individuals and no confirmed rebound documented; Chile's 2026-approved RECOGE national restoration plan is not yet fully funded.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k) — Multi-partner programme including UK Darwin Initiative/Defra funding (2015-2018); a 3.3 ha exclusion fence and 1 ha of active flora restoration to date — modest scale relative to the 2033 target of ~3,000 ha.
Time to results
Long (> 3 years) — Ongoing since 2002 (rabbit eradication) with restoration goals set through 2033.
Staffing & skills
CONAF (Corporación Nacional Forestal, Chile), Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, Island Conservation, Universidad de Concepción, UK Darwin Initiative/Defra (2015-2018 funding partner), Chile's Ministry of Environment

Conditions for success

  • Complete island rabbit eradication (achieved on Santa Clara)
  • International partner co-funding (Darwin Initiative/Defra)
  • Long-term restoration funding through 2033
  • Full funding and implementation of the RECOGE national restoration plan

Common failure modes

  • Rats not addressed by current exclusion-fence design
  • Livestock damage continues outside fenced areas
  • Firecrown population estimates inconsistent (1,000-3,500) with no confirmed rebound
  • RECOGE national restoration plan not yet fully funded as of 2026

Commonly funded by

National / regional programmes

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Data sources

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