New UK government funding for conservation in UK overseas territories

Endangered animals in the UK’s overseas territories such as the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and South Georgia will receive expert protection thanks to £1.5 million pounds of new government funding it has been announced.

Eleven projects will receive grants from Darwin Plus, an internationally renowned programme which gives funding to help protect some of the world’s most threatened species.

The successful projects to receive the funding include a plan to help coral reef in the Cayman Islands resist the effects of climate change, a seabird recovery programme in the British Virgin Islands, and a scheme to save 300 species of insects on St Helena from extinction.

Also supported will be a project in South Georgia to eradicate rats that were introduced to the island in the 18th century by visiting ships. As the rats have no natural predators there, they have been decimating the island’s plants and birds, particularly eating albatross and pipit chicks. The project, which has previously received Darwin support, will now benefit from a further £249,783 to help bring it to completion.

Continued ...

UK failing to protect wildlife treasures in overseas territories, report warns

MPs say the government must take responsibility for protecting the unique species and habitats of its isolated island territories

Damian Carrington

The Guardian, Thursday 16 January 2014

The string of isolated island territories making up the last vestiges of the British empire host a treasure trove of exotic species but are inadequately protected by the UK government, an MPs' report warns.

The UK's overseas territories (UKOTs) include huge tracts of ocean, thousands of coral atolls, tropical forests and a vast polar wilderness, and stretch from the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean to the Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific.

Continued