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Good practice Imported

Ringgold Isles Rat Eradication — Customary Landowner-Led Seabird Recovery (Fiji)

Fiji · Ringgold Isles · See the Fiji profile

Evidence: Descriptive / self-reported Top 90% 27/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

In 2008, BirdLife International's Fiji Programme and two customary landowning clans eradicated invasive Pacific rats from all seven main Ringgold Isles by helicopter baiting; Bridled Terns recolonised two islands and globally significant seabird colonies rebounded.

7 islands
Islands baited and confirmed rat-free (2008)
2 islands
Islands newly colonised by Bridled Tern (by 2010)
3 species (Lesser Frigatebird, Black Noddy, Brown Booby)
Seabird species with colonies exceeding 1% of global population (November 2010)
Ringgold Isles Rat Eradication — Customary Landowner-Led Seabird Recovery (Fiji)

Details

Promoter
BirdLife International (Fiji Programme) / Yavusa Naqelelevu and Mataqali Qilo customary landowning clans
Period
2008–2010 eradication; ongoing community biosecurity monitoring
Keywords
invasive species control, seabird conservation, customary land stewardship, biosecurity

Context

The mostly uninhabited Ringgold Isles (Cakaudrove Province, Fiji), an Important Bird Area supporting nesting seabirds, marine turtles and reef fish, had introduced Pacific rats (Rattus exulans) preying on seabird eggs and chicks across the group's islands.

Activities

In August 2008, BirdLife International's Fiji Programme partnered with the customary landowning clans Yavusa Naqelelevu and Mataqali Qilo to aerially bait all seven main islands of the group by helicopter, then established the landowner-led Ringgold Seabird Committee as a Site Support Group and trained villagers in biosecurity techniques to prevent reinvasion.

Results

All seven islands were subsequently confirmed rat-free. Bridled Terns, not previously recorded in the group, colonised two of the islands, and a November 2010 BirdLife survey found colonies of Lesser Frigatebird, Black Noddy and Brown Booby each exceeding 1% of their global population.

Conclusions

Because the islands are remote and crossed by inter-island boat traffic, sustained community biosecurity vigilance remains essential to prevent rat reinvasion; detailed post-2017 status updates were not found in this review.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Low (< €50k) — Not disclosed; a helicopter aerial baiting operation across seven islands plus community biosecurity training, small-scale relative to national programmes.
Time to results
Medium (1–3 years) — Aerial baiting August 2008; islands confirmed rat-free and Bridled Tern colonisation and seabird survey documented by November 2010; ongoing community biosecurity monitoring intended but not verified post-2017.
Staffing & skills
BirdLife International Fiji Programme technical team, Yavusa Naqelelevu and Mataqali Qilo customary landowning clans, Ringgold Seabird Committee (landowner-led Site Support Group)

Conditions for success

  • Partnership with customary landowning clans for legitimacy and long-term stewardship
  • Villager biosecurity training to prevent reinvasion

Common failure modes

  • Remote islands crossed by inter-island boat traffic create ongoing reinvasion risk
  • No detailed post-2017 monitoring found, raising uncertainty about sustained institutional vigilance

Where it fits

Governance type
customary/community land stewardship with international NGO support
Scale
seven-island group (Ringgold Isles)
Income level
small island developing state

Commonly funded by

Philanthropic / foundation funding

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Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

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