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Conservation of the Juan Fernández Firecrown, Chile
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| Male Juan Fernández Firecrown.
Photo: Peter Hodum |
Introduction: The
global population of the Critically Endangered Juan Fernandez
Firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis) is restricted
to a small part of a single island, Isla Robinson Crusoe, in
the Juan Fernández archipelago. These islands lie about
600 km off the coast of Chile in the southeastern Pacific. Without
immediate intervention, this spectacular hummingbird faces certain
extinction as its habitat has been degraded by the presence
of invasive plants and removal of native vegetation, and its
survival has been further compromised by the spread of feral
cats.
Isla Robinson Crusoe has a unique history:
it was the island on which Alexander Selkirk was stranded
from 1704 - 1709, an experience that became the basis for
Daniel Defoe's famous book, Robinson Crusoe. The islands were
designated as a Chilean National Park in 1935. The Juan Fernandez
archipelago has been identified by the International Union
for the Conservation of Nature as one of the world's 12 most
threatened parks.
Threats to the firecrown and other flora
and fauna on the island include predation by introduced mammals,
primarily cats and rats, habitat degradation by feral goats
and rabbits, and the spread of invasive, exotic plants such
as the Himalayan blackberry and maqui that out-compete native
plants that serve as the firecrown's habitat.
There are approximately 200 species of
plants in the Juan Fernandez archipelago, over 60% of them
endemic. Any conservation projects that focus on control of
invasive plants will have great benefits to the endemic flora.
Objective: Identify
threats and implement conservation actions to save the Juan
Fernandez Firecrown.
Actions:
1. Monitoring of the Juan Fernandez Firecrown to establish
a population baseline and to measure the effects of conservation
actions.
2. Establish an invasive plant control and native plant restoration
program within the critical habitat of the Firecrown.
3. Develop a program to limit the impacts of feral cats, including
a spay/neuter program for cats in the town where many firecrowns
spend the nonbreeding season. Encourage cat owners to keep
cats indoors. Control cats in the breeding areas as needed
and feasible.
4. Public outreach and education, including development of
community volunteer groups.
5. Seek greater commitment from the Chilean government for
management of the islands.
Accomplishments:
1. A monitoring and research program is underway.
2. Several hectares of invasive plants have been removed and
native flora recovered.
3. Trials with hummingbird feeders underway.
For more information about ABC’s
work on this project please contact
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Mission and Vision 
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