New Inva’Ziles project to address invasive alien species threats in Vallée de Mai |21 August 2017

SIF has secured funding under the regional Inva’Ziles project, financed by the European Union and implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), to further manage and mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species in the Vallée de Mai. Invasive alien species are one of the most serious threats to the biodiversity of the palm forest.

This includes species already present, such as yellow crazy ants, rats and tenrecs, as well as species which occur on Praslin or elsewhere but have not yet established populations in the Vallée de Mai, such as mynah birds.

More than ten species of invasive plant have been managed at the Vallée de Mai by SIF under the recent EU-funded project. A few of these introduced species have been removed entirely from the site (e.g. Chinese fan palm), but methods to effectively manage other invasive species need to be identified. In December 2016, the annual survey of yellow crazy ants in the Vallée de Mai revealed a concerning increase in the distribution of the species at the site, which now occurs in 75% of the area. Invasive alien species problems in the protected area therefore required immediate action.

The timely approval of the Inva’Ziles project will address these and other invasive alien species threats in the Vallée de Mai within the next year.

By managing invasive alien species comprehensively and holistically, targeting not only one narrow group of species but rather a broad range of taxa, including plants, mammals and invertebrates, SIF expects that the project will bring ecosystem-wide benefits of invasive species control in the Vallée de Mai.