UK OVERSEAS TERRITORIES CONSERVATION FORUM
Virtual Tours: Ascension Island
The Full Tour
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Introduction
Features of Natural Interest
Features of Other Interest, including Cultural
Threats / Problems / Issues
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Introduction

Invasive alien plants are not the only threat to the wildlife of Ascension. Human settlers also brought with them rats and cats, which have had devastating effects upon the breeding population of seabirds such as the endemic Ascension frigatebird Fregata aquila. While breeding populations of seabirds were once estimated at 20 million breeding pairs on the main island, these were reduced to only a few small nesting colonies most of which took refuge on offshore stacks.  

Above: Male frigatebird over surf. Below, left and right: Off-shore stacks. 


© Dr Mike Pienkowski
(Introduction, 5 of 7 - Slide ref. 600)