Wildlife of Kiribati

Last updated
Kiribati on the globe (Polynesia centered).svg

The wildlife of Kiribati is the flora and fauna of its islands.

Contents

Birds

Ninety species of birds have been recorded in Kiribati, of which two are endemic and three have been introduced by humans. The Henderson petrel and Kiritimati reed-warbler (locally called bokikokiko) are both listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. [1]

Reptiles

Two species of marine turtle have been positively identified in Kiribati waters: [2]

The following marine turtle species have also been reported to occur in Kiribati waters, but only through descriptions: [2]

Fish

There are about 500 fish species found around the Phoenix Islands. [3]

The Kiribati islands are located in the central Pacific Ocean making it jam-packed with rare animal species native to these islands. The islands host triggerfish (Xanthichthys greenei) that reside in greater depths of the ocean. Candy scale picnic gobies (Trimma squamicana) are more rare in other parts of the world, but are fairly common on the islands. They are light in color and are found at depths of 30 to 150 feet. The y-barred sandperch ( Parapercis lata ), is a shallow-dwelling fish with a white body and patches of red. [4]

Invertebrates

There are about 200 species of coral found around the Phoenix Islands. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caribbean Sea</span> Sea of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by North, Central and South America

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles starting with Cuba, to the east by the Lesser Antilles, and to the south by the northern coast of South America. The Gulf of Mexico lies to the northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punaluʻu Beach</span> Black Sand Beach, Big Island, Hawaii, US

Punaluʻu Beach is a beach between Pāhala and Nāʻālehu on the Big Island of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The beach has black sand made of basalt and created by lava flowing into the ocean which explodes as it reaches the ocean and cools. This volcanic activity is in the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Punaluʻu is frequented by endangered hawksbill and green turtles, which can often be seen basking on the black sand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manra</span> Pacific island of Kiribati

Manra, is one of the Phoenix Islands in the Republic of Kiribati. It lies at 4°27′S171°16′W. longitude, and has an area of 4.4 km2 (1.7 sq mi). and an elevation of approximately six metres. Together with the seven other Phoenix Islands, it forms part of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area,. Charles Darwin visited the island during his five-year voyage (1831-1836), following which in 1842 he published an explanation for the creation of coral atolls in the South Pacific.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orona</span> Pacific island of Kiribati

Orona atoll, also known as Hull Island, is one of the Phoenix Islands in the Republic of Kiribati. It measures approximately 8.8 km (5 mi) by 4 km (2 mi), and like Kanton, is a narrow ribbon of land surrounding a sizable lagoon with depths of 15–20 metres (49–66 ft). Numerous passages connect the lagoon to the surrounding ocean, only a couple of which will admit even a small boat. Total land area is 3.9 km2 (2 sq mi), and the maximum elevation is nine metres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bokikokiko</span> Species of bird

The bokikokiko, Kiritimati reed warbler or Christmas Island warbler is a species of warbler in the family Acrocephalidae. It is found only on Kiritimati and Washington Island (Kiribati).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tern Island (Hawaii)</span> Small island in Hawaii

Tern Island is a tiny coral island located near French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It is approximately 490 miles west-northwest of Oahu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moreton Bay Marine Park</span> Protected area in Queensland, Australia

The Moreton Bay Marine Park was established in 1993 to protect ecologically significant habitats in Moreton Bay. The marine park extends from Caloundra south to the southern tip of South Stradbroke Island. The marine park's border extends up to the highest tidal mark and covers a total of 3,400 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endangered species</span> Species of organisms facing a very high risk of extinction

An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invasive species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species, and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which, for example, forbid hunting, restrict land development, or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sembilang National Park</span>

Sembilang National Park is a national park covering 2,051 km2 along the east coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The park is dominated by swamps as peat forests, like the neighbouring Berbak National Park, and both parks are Ramsar wetlands of international importance. The park is considered to have the most complex shorebird community in the world, with 213 species recorded, and supports the world's largest breeding colony of milky storks. From Palembang to the Sembilang National Park needs one hour drive plus one and a half hour by boat and then one hour overland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Lorenzo Marine Archipelago National Park</span> National marine park in Baja California, Mexico

San Lorenzo Marine Archipelago National Park is a national park of Mexico located on San Lorenzo Island part of an archipelago in the Gulf of California off the eastern coast of Baja California. The San Lorenzo Archipelago is considered one of the most important ecological areas of the Gulf of California. The Island and surrounding areas are part of a rich ecosystem comprised by a grand variety of flora and marine fauna. This area is protected by the Mexican federal government Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2001 because of its importance as a habitat for several endangered species. The Archipelago is part of the municipality of Mexicali, Baja California. The island is located southeast of the city separated by the Salsipuedes Channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoenix Islands Protected Area</span> Marine protected area in central Kiribati

The Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) is located in the Republic of Kiribati, an ocean nation in the central Pacific approximately midway between Australia and Hawaii. PIPA constitutes 11.34% of Kiribati's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and with a size of 408,250 km2 (157,630 sq mi), it is one of the largest marine protected areas (MPA) and one of the largest protected areas of any type on Earth. The PIPA was also designated as the world's largest and deepest UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Threats to sea turtles</span>

Threats to sea turtles are numerous and have caused many sea turtle species to be endangered. Of the seven extant species of sea turtles, six in the family Cheloniidae and one in the family Dermochelyidae, all are listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. The list classifies six species of sea turtle as "threatened", two of them as "critically endangered", one as "endangered" and three as "vulnerable". The flatback sea turtle is classified as "data deficient" which means that there is insufficient information available for a proper assessment of conservation status. Although sea turtles usually lay around one hundred eggs at a time, on average only one of the eggs from the nest will survive to adulthood. While many of the things that endanger these hatchlings are natural, such as predators including sharks, raccoons, foxes, and seagulls, many new threats to the sea turtle species are anthropogenic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park</span> Protected area and a tourist attraction in Albania

Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park is a marine park in the Vlorë County of southwestern Albania. The marine park encompasses over 125.70 km2 (48.53 sq mi) and comprises the boundaries of both the Peninsula of Karaburun and the Island of Sazan. It is home to a vast array of landforms, including mountains, caves, islands, depressions, bays, cliffs, canyons and rocky coasts, all contributing to an exceptionally considerable biological diversity. The marine park has been identified as an Important Bird and Plant Area, because it supports immense bird and plant species. Containing ecosystems and habitats that are specific to the Mediterranean Basin, the convention of Barcelona has classified the marine park as a Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance.

The Funafuti Conservation Area is a marine conservation area covering 33 square kilometers of reef, lagoon and motu (islets) on the western side of Funafuti atoll in Tuvalu. The marine environment of the conservation area includes reef, lagoon, channel and ocean; and are home to many species of fish, corals, algae and invertebrates. The islets are nesting sites for the green sea turtle and Fualopa hosts a breeding colony of black noddy.

Sisters’ Islands Marine Park is a 400,000 square metre(40ha) marine park located in Southern Islands planning area, Singapore, which was designated a marine protected area (MPA) by the Government of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore in 2014. The park encompasses the land and waters surrounding Sisters' Islands, and also covers the western coasts of both St John's Island and Pulau Tekukor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coral reefs of Kiribati</span> Pacific Ocean Island chain

The Coral reefs of Kiribati consists of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, Banaba, which is an isolated island between Nauru and the Gilbert Islands. The islands of Kiribati are dispersed over 3.5 million km2 (1.4 million sq mi) of the Pacific Ocean and straddle the equator and the 180th meridian, extending into the eastern and western hemispheres, as well as the northern and southern hemispheres. 21 of the 33 islands are inhabited. The groups of islands of Kiribati are:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant kelp marine forests of south east Australia</span> Australian endangered ecological community

Giant kelp marine forests of south east Australia is an endangered ecological community, listed under the EPBC Act of the Commonwealth of Australia. The community is found in coastal waters of Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea rewilding</span> Environmental conservation activity

Sea rewilding is an area of environmental conservation activity which focuses on rewilding, restoring ocean life and returning seas to a more natural state. Sea rewilding projects operate around the world, working to repopulate a wide range of organisms, including giant clams, sharks, skates, sea sturgeons, and many other species. Rewilding marine and coastal ecosystems offer potential ways to mitigate climate change and sequester carbon. Sea rewilding projects are currently less common than those focusing on rewilding land, and seas are under increasing stress from the blue economy – commercial activities which further stress the marine environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mona and Monito Islands Nature Reserve</span> Two islands off western Puerto Rico

Mona and Monito Islands Nature Reserve consists of two islands, Mona and Monito, in the Mona Passage off western Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. Mona and Monito Islands Nature Reserve encompasses both land and marine area, and with an area of 38,893 acres it is the largest protected natural area in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Much like the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean, the Mona and Monito Islands reserve represents a living laboratory for archaeological, biological, geological, oceanographical and wildlife management research.

References

  1. "List of Endangered Species in Kiribati". Mongabay. Mongabay. Retrieved May 26, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. 1 2 Bell, Lui A.J.; Favae, Turang T.; Teariki-Ruatu, Nenenteiti; Bebe, Ratita; Anderson, Paul; Siota, Catherine (November 2010). "Kiribati Marine Turtles Profile" (PDF). Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. George Harvey Balazs. Retrieved November 19, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. 1 2 "Phoenix Islands Protected Area". United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. World Heritage Conservation. Retrieved November 15, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "Rare Plant And Animal Species Indigenous To Kiribati Islands". Visit Kiribati. Visit Kiribati. Retrieved November 15, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)