Invasive species - Ulong
Ulong
Ulong
High above the ocean, painted onto the limestone cliff faces of Ulong Island, are a collection of images offering a glimpse inside the minds of Palauan’s who lived thousands of years ago.
Ulong’s finely tuned ecosystem is vulnerable to non-native, damaging invasive animals and plants that can upset the balance. Rare local forest birds such as the Palauan Megapode and the Palauan Ground Dove have been impacted, as well as snails, crabs and turtles.
In 2021, research began on a long-term project with the Koror State Government’s Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement (DCLE) not only to remove harmful invasive mammals, but also to promote biosecurity for the Rock Island Southern Lagoon World Heritage Site. This project aims to restore this region and its beautiful surrounding reefs, and in so doing to protect the natural heritage that makes the island so special and provide a template that can be used to make similar interventions on other Palauan islands in the future.
Implementing institution and partners involved in the project
Koror State Government: Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, One Reef and Island Conservation.
Funders of the project
Dawson Family Fund, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, United States Office of Insular Affairs: Coral Reef and Natural Resources Initiative, Wanderlust Fund and Koror State Government.
Achievements and indicators
Ulong’s many visitors report that their enjoyment of the historic site has been enhanced by the absence of rats. Continued biosecurity training strengthened the island’s defenses, focusing on the Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) plan.
