Understanding Predation Risks to Endangered Raso Skylark – 2024

drawing of Spizocorys razae

The Raso Skylark, one of the world’s rarest and most threatened species, was found only on the island of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands until being translocated to nearby Santa Luiza Island in 2018. On both islands, the species faces predation of adults and nests from the giant gecko Tarentola gigas (also a threatened species), as well as potential predation … Read More

Climate-Smart Seabird Nests – 2022

Eddie Bartley and Mark Rauzon near a climate-smart nest box

A 2022 grant provided support to Point Blue Conservation Science for creating and evaluating climate-smart nesting habitat for cavity nesting seabirds on the Farallon Islands.

Protecting the Endangered St. Vincent Parrot – 2021

St. Vincent's parrot

In 2021, the Farallon Islands Foundation provided a grant to Birds Caribbean to survey and relocate birds to a protected area during and after the 2021 volcanic eruptions of the La Soufriére Volcano. The volcano, which began erupting on April 9, 2021, resulted in falling rocks, pyroclastic flows, and heavy ashfall across the mountainous island nation of St. Vincent — … Read More

Farallon Island Restoration Project Outreach – 2020

In 2020, the Farallon Islands Foundation provided a grant to Point Blue Conservation Science in support of outreach activities around a proposed project by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to eradicate invasive house mice on the South Farallon Islands. The presence of invasive house mice has had severe and ecosystem-altering effects on the Farallon Islands, which are home to … Read More

Survey for Southern River Terrapin in Sumatra – 2019

In 2019, the Farallon Islands Foundation provided a grant to the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) to support a search for the Southern River Terrapin (Batagur affinis) in Sumatra. Once a common river and estuarine turtle of Southeast Asia, the Southern River Terrapin is now one of the world’s top 25 most endangered turtles. In cooperation with the Satucita Foundation, a … Read More

Molecular Biology Lab and Research Support in Madagascar – 2019

In 2019, the Farallon Islands Foundation provided a grant to Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group and Mahaliana Lab and Training Center in support of their efforts to establish a molecular biology laboratory in Antananarivo, Madagascar and build scientific research capacity among Malagasy conservationists through a research study and training workshop. With support from FIF, these organizations purchased necessary lab equipment … Read More

Assessing hurricane impacts to Puerto Rican Birds – 2018

Puerto Rican Tody, a native bird of Puerto Rico. Photo credit: Jose Salguero.

During September 2017, the island of Puerto Rico was impacted by two major hurricanes — Irma (September 7) and Maria (September 20).  These two storms, especially Maria, devastated infrastructure and natural areas throughout the island. FIF’s 2018 grant to the Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña, Inc. (SOPI) and Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE) helped to fund an island-wide bird census to assess the … Read More