With the support of the BP (British Petroleum) Conservation Programme and through FIDES (French Governement) a survey was conducted in the Tuamotu to check the last populations of the Tutururu. Individuals have been located on only three atolls in the Tuamotu Archipelago where numbers are extremely low : Tenararo (50), Morane (new population discovered by Manu in 2003 : 50 birds) and Rangirora (discovered in 1993 : 10 birds) ; the subspecies from central Tuamotu is considered as extinct.
A rat eradication project on Vahanga island has been developped with PII (and financial support from RNHP through Conservation Int.) and after implementation will also allow the reintroduction of birds.
In 2002, two pairs of Polynesian Ground-doves were captured to establish a captive breeding population on Tahiti but 3 birds died since with no offsprings.

Polynesian Ground-dove project

MANU has reintroduced the Upe (Marquesan Imperial Pigeon) to the island of Ua Huka to create a new population of this Critically Endangered species which was estimated to number less than 200 individuals.
Five birds (two males, two females and one juvenile) were captured in May 2000 on Nuku Hiva, translocated and then released on Ua Huka ; in 2003 five more birds were captured and release to rstrengthen the initial population.
Since that time annual survey where conducted on both islands with the financial support of the Ministère de l'Environnement.
The original population on Nuku Hiva is better known and counts 160-170 birds. The local population is more aware of the value of the Upe. On Ua Huka the last estimation, in 2006, gave a number of more than 30 birds making our objective of 50 birds in 2010 achievable.
It is proposed to down grade the UICN status of that species to Endangered.

The 'Upe' flies again over Ua Huka

The government of French Polynesia, build an airstrip on the island of Niau in the Tuamotu archipelago and due to the importance of the local avifauna, the Direction de l'Equipement asked MANU to assess the environmental impact of the aiport installation and make proposal to mitigate any adverse influence.
During the survey done in February 2003 only 2 birds where seen in five days thus the population was estimated to 40 birds left (400 estimated in 1992) and a new survey in 2004 spotted more birds but came with a roughly similar estimate (50 birds). This species has been listed since as Critically Endangered by IUCN.
Further research founded by the Governement of French Polynesia and CEPA, with the assistance from scientists from Pacific Islands Conservation Research Association (PICRA), have been conducted since 2005, and are still ongoing, with intensive searching methods using radiotracking which led to a more optimistic number of 120-150 birds.

Since 1998, during each breeding season, a rat poisoning programme is implemented around known nesting sites. Trees with nests are also protected against rats with metallic bands. All individual birds are closely monitored to get an accurate estimate of breeding success.
This programme has been funded by subsidies coming from PDCT (Pacific Developpement and Conservation Trust), SPREP (Programme Régional Océanien pour l'Environnement), CEPA (Conservation des Espèces et des Populations Animales), LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux) and CLUB 300 (Sweden) to conduct the rat poisoning actions and introduced birds control.
Since 2002, the Ministère du Tourisme et de l'Environnement financially support this programme implemented by Manu.
The population decrease has been stopped in the selected valleys where the programe in implemented and abandonned territories are ocupied again by new young birds.

This Petrel is only known from a few locations in the Pacific. The main breeding colony in the Phoenix Islands (Kiribati) seems to decline rapidly. In French Polynesia few sites have breeding colonies : they are mainly located in the Marquesas archipelago.
In March 2007, we were able to assess the situation of the main one on Hatuta'a island during the IBA identification process.
More than 100 pairs were found with birds at different stages of breeding (parading, laying, feeding chicks). Previous surveys indicated only some 10 to 30 pairs.

In March 2003, Manu was co-leader of an international research programme with the Fish and Wildlife Service from the State of Alaska and Wildland Consultants Ltd.
This survey was conducted in 7 uninhabited atolls from the central and southern Tuamotu to study the status of Teue (Bristle-tighed Curlew), Titi (Tuamotu Sanpiper) and Society Ground dove. Numbers of these birds were fair (thousand) on two rat free atolls and and much more reduced when rats (even 'Iore) are present like on Tahanea (100 birds). A new locality for Titi was identified on Reitoru (50 birds).
In 2008 a 4-5 month survey will take place on one atoll (if financial support is obtained from a potential donor) and will study the biology of that unique species of an endemic genus in French Polynesia.

"Manu" expedition

South Seas field trip no picnic for Alaska scientists

The Kuhl's Lorikeet is endemic to the small island of Rimatara (3 km of diameter).
The government of French Polynesia, has built an airstrip on that island and the Direction de l'Equipement asked MANU to assess the environmental impact of the airport (due to the importance of the local avifauna which includes also the endemic Rimatara Reed-Warbler) and to make proposals for mitigation measures.
As a part of the Pacific Parrots project founded by BirdLife Int., after getting approval from the local community and all official permits, Manu has implemented successfully in April 2007, with Cook Island Natural Heritage Trust and various partners, the capture and transfer of 27 'Ura to Atiu (Cook Islands) to install a security population. this operation also received financial support from different partners : Haut-Commissariat (fonds Pacifique) and CRES (San Diego Zoo).
The BirdFair will also finance progammes to raise awareness of stakeholder regarding the threat presented by the introduction of black rats.

Rimatara Lorikeet Reintroduction Programme

The last viable population of this lorikeet lives on Ua Huka. Some birds (28) have been translocated during the year 1990 on Fatu Iva island by the San Diego Zoo, but the recent discovery of the black rat make its survival tricky there.
With the financial support of the World Parrot Trust, in 2002 the last populations on Nuku Hiva and Ua Pou were surveyed, and on Ua Huka and Fatu Hiva preventive or mitigation measures proposed (rat poisoning around the wharf and nesting sites, installation of artificial nests on trees protected against rats). They will be implemented in 2008 through the BirdFair project as well as an awarness programme on Ua Huka Island.

Jewels Lost In An Ocean:
The Plight of the Vini Lorikeets of the South Pacific Islands

The Ornithological Society of Polynesia, "Manu", made a study of the Marquesan Kingfisher with funding from the WildLife Conservation Society ( WCS). The observations made on the island of Tahuata during the mission of September 2003, enabled us to gather more information about this species. The dimensions of the nests were measured and new calls described. Their behaviour within their territory and the use they make of the space is thus much better known.

Discovering the Pahi

The Marquesan Monarch is now represented by only one of its 3 previous sub-species. The form living on Motane, an uninhabited island, was surveyed in 2006 and 2007. The population is about 200 pairs. But if no direct predators threaten them, their habitat is slowly regressing due to erosion caused by overgrazing by feral sheep.
Manu was part of an assesmement of the situation done by Ministry of Environment to prepare a managment plan of this reserve.

the blue lorikeet is now found on only 9 of up to 26 islands it was known to occur on at the time of European discovery of the region. Eight of these islands are located in French Polynesia.
Surveys in the Tuamotu Archipelago in 2006 sponsored by Loro Parque Fondacion and BirdLife IBA programme, revealed that populations are relatively robust, though fragmented, on at least 4 of the 5 atolls it occurs on. We estimate population sizes on each of the five atolls as follows: Apataki 1260, Arutua 2550, Kaukura 780, Rangiroa 1250 and Tikehau 50, resulting in a total population estimate for the Tuamotu of 5880.
Comparisons of past to present estimates suggest that at least some of these populations have contracted. Incorporating estimates from the four other islands the species occurs on, a global population estimate for the species ranges between 7200-9000.
Analogous assessments of black rat presence/absence on the islets of each atoll in the Tuamotu revealed that lorikeet abundance and presence was closely related to absence of rats.

These seabirds nest in burrows up in the mountains. They only return to their colony after night fall and youngs take their first flight at night. They are unfortunately attracted by urban lights (along the roadside and stadiums) and they fall to the ground where they cannot fly back into the air by themselves. The birds found between July and December are usually not hurt and after retrieving and examining them, they are set free as quickly as possible in the right conditions.