The Fatu Hiva Monarch (Pomarea whitneyi)  is a bird endemic to French Polynesia and listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List (less than 20 left). The species has been facing a catastrophic decline since the 90’s and currently restricted to 29 ha in the Tai’u’ valley.

The decline originated due to the introduction of black rats in Fatu Hiva, an invasive species that predates on bird eggs as well as feral cats that predates on the fledglings, but more recently they have been plagued by avian malaria.

The initiative focusses on anti-malaria management and supplementary feeding programmes. The MBZF grant allowed researchers to start with insect production in the remote Fatu Hiva Island to supply feeders 3 times a week. Every juvenile produced in 2022 are using the feeders as recorded with trail cameras, by monitoring the colour bands on their feet.

The grant also ensured mosquito traps were placed around active nests at the start of incubation. Changing the batteries every 3 days and trapping liquid once a week, is demanding, but we hope to yield positive results.

It’s an incredibly ambitious project but we are all expecting positive results and hoping that future generations can learn about the Fatu Hiva monarch by observing them in their natural habitat and would not only read about them in books.