Month: December 2019

Is there a connection between White-tailed Tropicbirds and the popularity of fast food?

December 30, 2019

In my recent blog about our discovery of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters occupying burrows on Mahe, I mentioned that White-tailed Tropicbirds were the only seabird that had survived in numbers as a breeding species on the larger granitic islands of Seychelles. They had survived despite a large and still increasing human population and the commensal predators that … More Is there a connection between White-tailed Tropicbirds and the popularity of fast food?

Are Wedge-tailed Shearwaters breeding on Seychelles’ main island, Mahe?

December 19, 2019

Seychelles was first settled by westerners in the late 18th century. Previous exploratory visits by French ships had established that Mahe had abundant timber for home and boat building, and fresh water for drinking would provide vital resources for establishing a permanent base. Giant Tortoises would provide food for residents and passing ships. Crocodiles were … More Are Wedge-tailed Shearwaters breeding on Seychelles’ main island, Mahe?

An update on plastics in Bird Island’s Sooty Tern colony

December 18, 2019

In my blog of 16 July, I described some work that we had started in an attempt to explain how small fragments of plastic, mainly blue and green, appeared on the ground in the Sooty Tern colony on Bird Island. Joanna Suares, the island’s conservation officer, continued the weekly monitoring of the fixed quadrats in … More An update on plastics in Bird Island’s Sooty Tern colony