Vanuatu Petrel (Pterodroma occulta) Case Study
Home > Biodiversity Nature & People > Conservation Philanthropy > Grants > MBZF Grant 222529250
Continent: Oceania
Country: Vanuatu
Grant Amount: $16,500
Awarded Date: June 01, 2023
Peter Vaughan
Monash University
25 Rainforest Walk
Clayton
Victoria
3800
Australia
Tel: +613 9905 5172
Mob: +61 488 738 375
Local to global: researching Vanuatu Petrel movement ecology to track threats to gadfly petrels.
Local to global: researching Vanuatu Petrel conservation ecology.
This project aims to provide the first conservation ecology research of the Vanuatu Petrel (Pterodroma occulta), informing efforts to protect this species and other Melanesian gadfly petrels. Our team includes researchers from Monash University, the Vanuatu Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation, and local communities on Vanua Lava, Vanuatu.
The Vanuatu Petrel was first described in 2001 based on 7 museum specimens, and the only known breeding colony was discovered in 2009. Very little is known about this seabird, including its range, population size, and conservation status. This is concerning, as several potential threats to the species have been documented on Vanua Lava, including invasive species such as rats and cats. We are conducting research to understand the significance of these threats and the status of the Vanuatu Petrel to provide appropriate conservation interventions.
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