Exponential population increase in the endangered Ouvéa Parakeet () after community-based protection from nest poaching

Nicolas Barré (1) , Jörn Theuerkauf (2) , Ludovic Verfaille (3) , Pierre Primot (3) , Maurice Saoumoé (3)

1 SCO/IAC-CIRAD
2 Museum and Institute of Zoology
3 Direction du Développement Economique

The Ouvéa Parakeet (), endemic to Ouvéa Island (Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia, south-west Pacific), is a rainforest bird that is dependent on tree cavities for nesting. It is threatened by deforestation, but also by competition for nest sites with introduced bees, harvesting for pets, and potentially predation by introduced species. Despite these threats, we show that the Ouvéa Parakeet population increased exponentially from an estimated 617 (274–996) birds in 1993 to 2,090 (1,280–3,413) birds in 2009 (95% confidence interval). We explain this population increase by community-based protection measures that eliminated nest poaching. We recommend that these measures are maintained, remnant forest is protected, and the introduction of rats is prevented.

Mots clés: Nest poaching; Public awareness; Recovery plan; Threats

Nicolas Barré, Jörn Theuerkauf, Ludovic Verfaille, Pierre Primot, Maurice Saoumoé. Exponential population increase in the endangered Ouvéa Parakeet () after community-based protection from nest poaching. Journal für Ornithologie = Journal of Ornithology, 2010, 151 (3), pp.695-701. ⟨10.1007/s10336-010-0499-7⟩. ⟨hal-00574835⟩