Carlile, N., Priddel, D., Zino, F., Natividad, C., & Wingate, D. B. (2003). A review of four successful recovery programmes for threatened sub-tropical petrels. Mar. Ornithol, 31, 185-192.
Recovery programmes have significantly increased the population sizes of four threatened sub-tropical petrels: Zino’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira, Bermuda Petrel P. cahow, Gould’s Petrel P. leucoptera leucoptera and Hawaiian Petrel P. sandwichensis. These recovery programmes were reviewed to examine i) past and present nesting habitat; ii) the nature and commonality of threats; iii) the recovery actions undertaken; iv) the conservation gains; and v) the factors most responsible for these gains. The most significant causes of past population decline were exploitation by humans for food, loss of nesting habitat and the introduction of alien mammals. Primary contemporary threats are predation and disturbance at the breeding grounds by both alien and indigenous species. Current relict populations have restricted distributions and are often confined to nesting habitats that are severely degraded or sub-optimal and dissimilar from those known historically. The crucial attribute of these habitats is the absence or low density of alien predators. The most beneficial recovery actions involved the control or eradication of predators at breeding grounds and the provision of safe artificial nest sites. Recovery actions were more difficult to implement for species on large islands. The success of each recovery programme was due largely to concerted action spanning several decades.
Recovery programmes have significantly increased the population sizes of four threatened sub-tropical petrels: Zino’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira, Bermuda Petrel P. cahow, Gould’s Petrel P. leucoptera leucoptera and Hawaiian Petrel P. sandwichensis. These recovery programmes were reviewed to examine i) past and present nesting habitat; ii) the nature and commonality of threats; iii) the recovery actions undertaken; iv) the conservation gains; and v) the factors most responsible for these gains. The most significant causes of past population decline were exploitation by humans for food, loss of nesting habitat and the introduction of alien mammals. Primary contemporary threats are predation and disturbance at the breeding grounds by both alien and indigenous species. Current relict populations have restricted distributions and are often confined to nesting habitats that are severely degraded or sub-optimal and dissimilar from those known historically. The crucial attribute of these habitats is the absence or low density of alien predators. The most beneficial recovery actions involved the control or eradication of predators at breeding grounds and the provision of safe artificial nest sites. Recovery actions were more difficult to implement for species on large islands. The success of each recovery programme was due largely to concerted action spanning several decades.
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