Wildlife of Saint Helena
Encyclopedia
Saint Helena
, Ascension Island
and Tristan da Cunha
as well the other uninhabited islands nearby are a haven for wildlife in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
. The islands are or were home to much endemic flora and fauna, especially birds, and many endemic fish species found in the reef ecosystems off the islands.
See Ascension scrub and grasslands
for more details of the World Wildlife Fund designated ecoregion.
is not now a major breeding site for seabirds as Ascension is, but it used to have more endemic birds, all but one of which are now extinct. The Wirebird (Charadrius sanctaehelenae) is a type of plover which lives in burrows around the island, and is the national bird. It is called the Wirebird due to its thin legs that look like wire
. Extinct birds on the island include the Large Saint Helena Petrel, Small Saint Helena Petrel, Saint Helena Crake, Saint Helena Swamphen, Saint Helena Dove, Saint Helena Cuckoo and, most famously, the Giant Hoopoe
.
used to be home to many breeding seabirds; most are now all but extinct on the main island, and the main breeding site is on nearby rat-free Boatswain Bird Island
. Over 10,000 birds breed on this tiny island, which is home to Ascension Frigatebird
s, Red-footed
, Brown
and Masked Boobies
, Red-billed
and White-tailed Tropicbird
s (known as Boatswain Birds), and petrel
s. The Sooty Tern
, known locally as the Wideawake Tern because of its distinctive call, is the most common breeding seabird on the main island, and the airport is named after it. The Ascension Rail is extinct. The largest native land animal is the land crab
Johngarthia lagostoma
(formerly Gecarcinus lagostoma).
are together a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
and a wildlife reserve due to the large number of breeding seabirds found there, including endemics. The birds include the Tristan Albatross
, Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross
, Northern Rockhopper Penguin
, Great Shearwater
, Antarctic Tern
and Tristan Thrush
. The Inaccessible Island Rail
, the world's smallest living flightless bird, is endemic to Inaccessible Island. The Tristan Albatross
is also native to the islands of Tristan da Cunha, as well as the Atlantic Petrel
. Gough Island is home to the almost flightless Gough Island Moorhen
and the critically endangered Gough Bunting
.
, On Saint Helena these are cats, dogs, rabbits, rats and mice; donkeys and goats no longer roam free. On Ascension the feral animals still common in parts of the island are donkeys, sheep, rats and mice; the cats have been eliminated. Goats were introduced to Saint Helena by the Portuguese
to provide passing ships with fresh meat.
Tristan da Cunha
hosts breeding grounds for Subantarctic Fur Seal
s and Southern Elephant Seal
s, several whale
species are also found in the waters around Tristan.
, the site of the proposed Saint Helena Airport
, is the only site known for about 55 of these endemic species. The Saint Helena Giant Earwig is almost certainly extinct, the last chitinous remains having been found in the 1990s. However it is firmly in Saint Helena folklore, and hopes linger on.
ecosystem
s, which are very diverse and contain many endemic and non-endemic fish species.
The following fish are endemic to Ascension Island:
The following are found in both Saint Helena and Ascension Islands;
The following fish are found only on the island of Saint Helena;
Green turtles make a 3000 mile journey every 3-4 years from Brazil to Ascension Island
to breed. They have been a protected species on the island since the mid 20th century and lay their eggs on the unspoilt beaches of the island. The turtles who survive to adulthood will return to breed on the island.
On Tristan da Cunha there is an endemic species of lobster, the Tristan rock lobster
, which appears on the coat of arms of the territory. Other marine life includes several temperate water fish species, as well as the seals and whales listed above.
There are a few plants endemic to Ascension Island
also, these include the Marattia purpurascens
, Asplenium ascensionis
, Xiphopteris ascensionense
, Pteris adscensionis
, Euphorbia origanoides
& Sporobolus caespitosus
. There are several other extinct species. Ascension contains one of the world's largest artificial forests, planted over the past hundred years with mainly introduced species, on Green Mountain. This has threatened the endemic species on the Island.
, and the Ascension Heritage Society has been set up to help deal with the issues. There have been successful programs for protecting Green Turtles, and the charity has worked hard with the RSPB to protect the birdlife on the island. The main activities going on at the moment are a cat and rat eradication program, along with attempts to breed the native plant species on the island.
has had some extremely successful programs in conservation, most notably of which is the world heritage site of Inaccessible Island and Gough Island
. The low population has helped matters on the islands, as well as the non-existence of cats and other pests.
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
, Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
and Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is a remote volcanic group of islands in the south Atlantic Ocean and the main island of that group. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying from the nearest land, South Africa, and from South America...
as well the other uninhabited islands nearby are a haven for wildlife in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The islands are or were home to much endemic flora and fauna, especially birds, and many endemic fish species found in the reef ecosystems off the islands.
See Ascension scrub and grasslands
Ascension scrub and grasslands
The Ascension scrub and grasslands ecoregion covers the dormant volcano, Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean. As well as shrubs and grasses wildlife on the island includes a range of unique flora and fauna...
for more details of the World Wildlife Fund designated ecoregion.
Saint Helena
Saint HelenaSaint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
is not now a major breeding site for seabirds as Ascension is, but it used to have more endemic birds, all but one of which are now extinct. The Wirebird (Charadrius sanctaehelenae) is a type of plover which lives in burrows around the island, and is the national bird. It is called the Wirebird due to its thin legs that look like wire
Wire
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Standard sizes are determined by various...
. Extinct birds on the island include the Large Saint Helena Petrel, Small Saint Helena Petrel, Saint Helena Crake, Saint Helena Swamphen, Saint Helena Dove, Saint Helena Cuckoo and, most famously, the Giant Hoopoe
Giant Hoopoe
The Giant Hoopoe , also known as Saint Helena Giant Hoopoe or Saint Helena Hoopoe, is an extinct species of Hoopoe , known exclusively from an incomplete subfossil skeleton....
.
Ascension
Ascension IslandAscension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
used to be home to many breeding seabirds; most are now all but extinct on the main island, and the main breeding site is on nearby rat-free Boatswain Bird Island
Boatswain Bird Island
Boatswain Bird Island is an island some 270 metres off the east coast of Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean with an area of approximately 5.3 hectares...
. Over 10,000 birds breed on this tiny island, which is home to Ascension Frigatebird
Ascension Frigatebird
The Ascension Frigatebird breeds only on the tiny Boatswain Bird Island just off Ascension Island in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It formerly bred on the larger island, but was exterminated by introduced cats, Brown Rats, and human persecution.It breeds on the rocky slopes of Boatswainbird...
s, Red-footed
Red-footed Booby
The Red-footed Booby, Sula sula, is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. As suggested by the name, adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings...
, Brown
Brown Booby
The Brown Booby is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. The adult brown booby reaches about in length. Its head and upper body are covered in dark brown, with the remainder being a contrasting white. The juvenile form is gray-brown with darkening on the head, wings and tail...
and Masked Boobies
Masked Booby
The Masked Booby, Sula dactylatra, is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. This species breeds on islands in tropical oceans, except in the eastern Atlantic; in the eastern Pacific it is replaced by the Nazca Booby, Sula granti, which was formerly regarded as a subspecies of Masked Booby...
, Red-billed
Red-billed Tropicbird
The Red-billed Tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus, also known as the Boatswain Bird is a tropicbird, one of three closely related seabirds of tropical oceans.-Distribution and habitat:...
and White-tailed Tropicbird
White-tailed Tropicbird
The White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus, is a tropicbird, smallest of three closely related seabirds of the tropical oceans and smallest member of the order Phaethontiformes. It occurs in the tropical Atlantic, western Pacific and Indian Oceans...
s (known as Boatswain Birds), and petrel
Petrel
Petrels are tube-nosed seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. The common name does not indicate relationship beyond that point, as "petrels" occur in three of the four families within that group...
s. The Sooty Tern
Sooty Tern
The Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscatus , is a seabird of the tern family . It is a bird of the tropical oceans, breeding on islands throughout the equatorial zone. Colloquially, it is known as the Wideawake Tern or just wideawake...
, known locally as the Wideawake Tern because of its distinctive call, is the most common breeding seabird on the main island, and the airport is named after it. The Ascension Rail is extinct. The largest native land animal is the land crab
Land crab
Gecarcinidae is a family of true crabs that are adapted for terrestrial existence, commonly known as land crabs. Similar to all other crabs, land crabs possess a series of gills. In addition, the part of the carapace covering the gills is inflated and equipped with blood vessels. These organs...
Johngarthia lagostoma
Johngarthia lagostoma
Johngarthia lagostoma is a species of terrestrial crab that lives on Ascension Island and three other islands in the South Atlantic. It grows to a carapace width of on Ascension Island, where it is the largest native land animal. It exists in two distinct colour morphs, one yellow and one purple,...
(formerly Gecarcinus lagostoma).
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha has the number of birds on a par with Ascension. Inaccessible Island and Gough IslandGough Island
Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
are together a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
and a wildlife reserve due to the large number of breeding seabirds found there, including endemics. The birds include the Tristan Albatross
Tristan Albatross
The Tristan Albatross, Diomedea dabbenena, is a large seabird from the albatross family. One of the great albatrosses of the genus Diomedea, it was only widely recognised as a full species in 1998.-Taxonomy:...
, Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross
Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross
The Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, Thalassarche chlororhynchos, is a large seabird in the albatross family. This small mollymawk was once considered conspecific with the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross and known as the Yellow-nosed Albatross...
, Northern Rockhopper Penguin
Northern Rockhopper Penguin
The Northern Rockhopper Penguin, Eudyptes c. moseleyi, is usually considered a subspecies of rockhopper penguin, although fairly recent studies show evidence of distinction from the Southern Rockhopper Penguin group Eudyptes c. chrysocome/E. c. filholi.A study published in 2009 showed that the...
, Great Shearwater
Great Shearwater
The Great Shearwater is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. Its relationships are unclear. It belongs in the group of large species that could be separated as genus Ardenna ; within these, it might be allied with the other black-billed, blunt-tailed species Short-tailed...
, Antarctic Tern
Antarctic Tern
The Antarctic Tern is a typical tern. It ranges throughout the southern oceans. It is very similar in appearance to the closely related Arctic Tern, but is stockier, and the wing tips are grey instead of blackish in flight...
and Tristan Thrush
Tristan Thrush
The Tristan Thrush , also known as the Starchy, is a species of bird in the thrush family that is endemic to the isolated Tristan da Cunha archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean.-Description:...
. The Inaccessible Island Rail
Inaccessible Island Rail
The Inaccessible Island Rail is a small bird of the rail family, Rallidae. It is the only species in its genus. It is found only on Inaccessible Island in the Tristan Archipelago, and is notable for being the smallest extant flightless bird in the world...
, the world's smallest living flightless bird, is endemic to Inaccessible Island. The Tristan Albatross
Tristan Albatross
The Tristan Albatross, Diomedea dabbenena, is a large seabird from the albatross family. One of the great albatrosses of the genus Diomedea, it was only widely recognised as a full species in 1998.-Taxonomy:...
is also native to the islands of Tristan da Cunha, as well as the Atlantic Petrel
Atlantic Petrel
The Atlantic Petrel is a gadfly petrel endemic to the South Atlantic Ocean. It breeds in enormous colonies on Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island, and ranges at sea from Brazil to Namibia, with most records at sea being to the west of the breeding islands, and along the subtropical convergence.The...
. Gough Island is home to the almost flightless Gough Island Moorhen
Gough Island Moorhen
The Gough Moorhen, Gallinula comeri, is a medium-sized, almost flightless bird that is similar to the Common Moorhen , but is smaller, stockier, and has shorter wings. The bird has a distinctive bill that is reddish with a yellow tip. Its first account was written by the polar explorer George...
and the critically endangered Gough Bunting
Gough Bunting
The Gough Bunting or Gough Finch is a songbird species. Traditionally considered a bunting and placed in the family Emberizidae, it is actually neither a bunting nor a true finch, but belongs to a group of finch-like birds or tanager-finches in the family Thraupidae...
.
Mammals
There are no native mammals on either Saint Helena or Ascension. Over the centuries several introduced mammals have gone feralFeral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
, On Saint Helena these are cats, dogs, rabbits, rats and mice; donkeys and goats no longer roam free. On Ascension the feral animals still common in parts of the island are donkeys, sheep, rats and mice; the cats have been eliminated. Goats were introduced to Saint Helena by the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
to provide passing ships with fresh meat.
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is a remote volcanic group of islands in the south Atlantic Ocean and the main island of that group. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying from the nearest land, South Africa, and from South America...
hosts breeding grounds for Subantarctic Fur Seal
Subantarctic Fur Seal
The subantarctic fur seal is a fur seal found in the southern parts of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. It was first described by Gray in 1872 from a specimen recovered in northern Australia—hence the inappropriate tropicalis specific name.- Description :The subantarctic fur seal is...
s and Southern Elephant Seal
Southern Elephant Seal
The Southern Elephant Seal is one of the two extant species of elephant seal. It is both the most massive pinniped and member of the order Carnivora living today...
s, several whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
species are also found in the waters around Tristan.
Terrestrial invertebrates
About 1100 species of land invertebrates have been recorded from Saint Helena, and over 400 of these are endemic and occur nowhere else. Prosperous Bay PlainProsperous Bay Plain
Prosperous Bay Plain is an area on the north-eastern coast of Saint Helena, a British island territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is the site of the proposed Saint Helena Airport and is notable for its high invertebrate biodiversity.-Geography:...
, the site of the proposed Saint Helena Airport
Saint Helena airport
Saint Helena Airport is a proposed airport that will be constructed in the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean. From the 1960s there was an idea to build an airport on the St Helena Island. In 1999 this was taken up by the island government...
, is the only site known for about 55 of these endemic species. The Saint Helena Giant Earwig is almost certainly extinct, the last chitinous remains having been found in the 1990s. However it is firmly in Saint Helena folklore, and hopes linger on.
Marine Life
Saint Helena and Ascension Island both have excellent and well preserved coralCoral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s, which are very diverse and contain many endemic and non-endemic fish species.
The following fish are endemic to Ascension Island:
- Resplendent Angelfish (Centropyge resplendens)
- Apollo Damselfish (Chromis sp.)
- Lubbock's Yellowtail Damselfish (Stegastes lubbocki)
- Ascension Goby (Priolepis ascensionis)
- White Hawkfish (Amblycirrhitus earnshawi)
- Marmalade Razorfish (Xyrichtys blanchardi)
- Seabream (Diplodus ascensionis)
- Ascension Wrasse (Thalassoma ascensionis)
The following are found in both Saint Helena and Ascension Islands;
- Hedhog Butterflyfish (Chaetodon dichrous)
- Axillary-spot Cardinalfish (Apogon axillaris)
- ParrotfishParrotfishParrotfishes are a group of fishes that traditionally had been considered a family , but now often are considered a subfamily of the wrasses. They are found in relatively shallow tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, but with the largest species richness in the Indo-Pacific...
(Sparisoma strigatum) - Hogfish Island Wrasse (Bodianus insularis)
The following fish are found only on the island of Saint Helena;
- St Helena Butterflyfish (Chaetodon sanctaehelenae)
- St Helena Flounder (Bothus mellissi)
- St Helena Pufferfish (Canthigaster sanctaehelenae)
- St Helena Wrasse (Thalassoma sanctaehelenae)
Green turtles make a 3000 mile journey every 3-4 years from Brazil to Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
to breed. They have been a protected species on the island since the mid 20th century and lay their eggs on the unspoilt beaches of the island. The turtles who survive to adulthood will return to breed on the island.
On Tristan da Cunha there is an endemic species of lobster, the Tristan rock lobster
Tristan rock lobster
The Tristan rock lobster, Jasus tristani, is a species of rock lobster endemic to the Tristan da Cunha archipelago and Vema Seamount, north-east of Tristan. It is very closely related to J. paulensis and these two may represent a single species. The Tristan rock lobster features on the coat of...
, which appears on the coat of arms of the territory. Other marine life includes several temperate water fish species, as well as the seals and whales listed above.
Flora
The Flora of Saint Helena is particularly diverse, with hundreds of endangered endemic species. In recent years there has been a program to conserve and replant the great forest on the island which was destroyed over the years by human activity, causing widespread soil erosion on the island. The Millennium Forest Project has been successful and the forest is expanding rapidly.There are a few plants endemic to Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
also, these include the Marattia purpurascens
Marattia purpurascens
Ptisana purpurascens is a large fern belonging to the botanical family Marattiaceae. It has a globular rhizome with stipule-like fleshy outgrowths. The leaves are dark green, twice pinnate and up to 1 metre long. Every pinnule has up to six pairs of leaflets. The petioles are dark-purplish, hence...
, Asplenium ascensionis
Asplenium ascensionis
Asplenium ascensionis is a species of fern in the Aspleniaceae family. It is endemic to Ascension Island. Its natural habitats are introduced vegetation. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Gray, A. 2003. . Downloaded on 20 August 2007....
, Xiphopteris ascensionense
Xiphopteris ascensionense
Xiphopteris ascensionense is a species of fern in the Grammitidaceae family. It is endemic to Ascension Island. Its natural habitats are introduced vegetation. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
, Pteris adscensionis
Pteris adscensionis
Pteris adscensionis is a fern species in the Pteridaceae family. It is endemic to Ascension Island, and there are thought to be fewer than 500 individuals left in the wild. Its natural habitat has been severely reduced to the large number of species introduced to the island when it was first...
, Euphorbia origanoides
Euphorbia origanoides
Euphorbia origanoides is a species of plant in the Euphorbiaceae family. It is endemic to Ascension Island a dependency of the UK overseas territory of Saint Helena. Its natural habitats are introduced vegetation. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Gray, A. 2003. . Downloaded on 21...
& Sporobolus caespitosus
Sporobolus caespitosus
Sporobolus caespitosus is a species of grass in the Poaceae family.It is endemic to Ascension Island, in the South Atlantic Ocean, where it is known only from the weather side of the Green Mountain area, where it occupies an area of less than 0.5 km²...
. There are several other extinct species. Ascension contains one of the world's largest artificial forests, planted over the past hundred years with mainly introduced species, on Green Mountain. This has threatened the endemic species on the Island.
St Helena
Sadly, most of Saint Helena's endemic birds became extinct since human habitation began. Still, Wirebird breeding programs are on-going, although numbers are still falling. The Millennium Forest Project has been highly successful and has boosted the chances of Saint Helena's treasured flora and fauna, and this is the main concentration of conservation on the island.Ascension
Conservation has been a big issue on Ascension IslandAscension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
, and the Ascension Heritage Society has been set up to help deal with the issues. There have been successful programs for protecting Green Turtles, and the charity has worked hard with the RSPB to protect the birdlife on the island. The main activities going on at the moment are a cat and rat eradication program, along with attempts to breed the native plant species on the island.
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da CunhaTristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is a remote volcanic group of islands in the south Atlantic Ocean and the main island of that group. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying from the nearest land, South Africa, and from South America...
has had some extremely successful programs in conservation, most notably of which is the world heritage site of Inaccessible Island and Gough Island
Gough Island
Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
. The low population has helped matters on the islands, as well as the non-existence of cats and other pests.
External Links and Sources
- UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum
- The Tristan da Cunha Government official website
- Ascension Island Heritage Society
- The Official Website of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
- Ascension Island Administrator official website
- Ascension Conservation website
- British Geological Survey. (BGS) Ascension website
- Ascension Island Volcano Information
- Atlantic Green Turtle website
- Saint Helena Government official website
- Saint Helena Tourist office website
- Website with information on all three islands