4 May 2026, Sonsorol, Palau - A significant conservation initiative is underway in Sonsorol State to remove invasive species and restore the health, resilience and livelihoods of island communities. The restoration efforts are being led by the Sonsorol community in partnership with Palau’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The SPREP led Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS), with technical partners, Island Conservation, are providing on ground support, technical guidance and coordination through the PRISMSS Predator Free Pacific (PFP) Programme.
The activities, under the PRISMSS Restoring Island Resilience (RIR) project, is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the United Kingdom International Development.
This initiative is the result of a request made by the Sonsorol community to address the growing impacts of invasive rats and other pests across their islands, particularly on Merir, Sonsorol, and Fanna. These invasive species, including rats, mosquitoes, and coconut rhinoceros beetles, have significantly affected food security, living conditions, and overall community well-being.
After extensive planning and fundraising, the project is now progressing toward implementation, scheduled for May 2026. The operation will use a helicopter-based approach to efficiently deliver bait across the islands, ensuring comprehensive coverage in areas that are otherwise difficult to access due to the remoteness and terrain of Sonsorol State.
A pre-eradication preparation team arrived on Sonsorol Island on 19 March and will remain on-site for one month to support readiness activities. The team is working closely with the Sonsorol community to prepare for the eradication phase.
Activities include cleaning homes and surrounding areas, removing rubbish and debris that provide shelter for rats, and strengthening food storage and waste management practices. Organic and inorganic waste collection systems have been reinforced, and outdoor structures are being sealed to reduce entry points for invasive species.
Ms Lucy Pedro, Governor of Sonsorol State shared that, "the rat eradication project is vital to restoring balance, safeguarding health and biodiversity, securing our future and protecting food security and ecosystems in the Sonsorol islands."
A representative from Island Conservation shared that, “baseline environmental monitoring is a key component of the project and surveys of seabirds, vegetation, and land crabs are being conducted using sound recorders, transect surveys, and photo monitoring.”
“This data will help measure ecological recovery over time, including improvements in seabird nesting, forest health, and crab populations which are resources that are vital to local livelihoods.”
Community engagement has been central to the preparation process. A community-wide meeting held shortly after the team’s arrival resulted in strong support for the initiative. Additional outreach has included engagement with youth, focusing on safe practices and the importance of proper waste management in ensuring the success of the operation.
The Sonsorol State Government has also mobilised all state workers to assist with island-wide cleaning and maintenance efforts. Interviews with community members are also being carried out to better understand how invasive species are impacting food security and daily life. This information will help guide both implementation and long-term outcomes of the project.
SPREP Invasive Species Adviser, Mr David Moverley shared that, “our work in Sonsorol is about more than removing invasive species, it is about restoring balance to ecosystems, protecting food security and strengthening community resilience.”
“By removing rats and other invasive species, we give native plants, seabirds, and turtles a chance to thrive again, while ensuring communities can live sustainably on their islands and this is resilience in action, to secure a healthier future for Sonsorol and the wider Pacific.”
Despite the logistical challenges posed by the extreme remoteness of Sonsorol State, strong collaboration between the community, the Sonsorol State Government and partners is driving progress forward.
PRISMSS, alongside its technical partners and Pacific nations, will continue advancing scalable and sustainable solutions to manage invasive species and biodiversity conservation across the region.
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Media Contact:
· Sally Esposito, Island Conservation, Strategic Communications Director: sally.esposito@islandconservation.org
· Nitish Narayan, PRISMSS Communications & Liaison Officer: nitishn@sprep.org
About PRISMSS: The Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) is a service designed to facilitate the scaling up of operational management of invasive species in the Pacific. PRISMSS brings together experts to provide support within the Pacific region with a focus on protection of indigenous biodiversity and ecosystem function. As a service provider, PRISMSS provides a comprehensive suite of support services in a cohesive, effective, efficient, and accessible manner to Pacific Island countries and territories.
Restoring Island Resilience (RIR): The PRISMSS - Restoring Island Resilience (RIR) is a New Zealand-PRISMSS collaboration project that aims to improve Pacific Island Countries and territories livelihoods and resilience to climate change by reducing the impact of invasive species on natural and agricultural ecosystems through the six PRISMSS programmes.
PRISMSS Powered by: New Zealand Foreign Affairs & Trade, United Kingdom International Development, GEF, United Nations Environment Programme & SPREP.
PRISMSS Partners: Bioeconomy Science Institute NZ, Birdlife International, Earth Sciences New Zealand, New Zealand Department of Conservation, Island Conservation, the Pacific Community and SPREP.
PRISMSS Programmes: Protect Our Islands (POI), Predator Free Pacific (PFP), War on Weeds (WOW), Natural Enemies Natural Solutions (NENS), Resilient Ecosystems Resilient Communities (RERC) and Protect Our Marine Areas (POMA).
For additional information please contact Mr Dominic Sadler, PRISMSS Manager on dominics@sprep.org or Mr Nitish Narayan, PRISMSS Communications & Liaison Officer on nitishn@sprep.org
About Island Conservation: Island Conservation's mission is to restore islands for nature and people worldwide. We are a United States–based 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a globally distributed team—often made up of local islanders who bring deep knowledge and connection to the places where we work. Together, we collaborate with local communities, government management agencies, and conservation organizations to holistically restore islands by bringing back biodiversity, the foundation of all healthy ecosystems. We do this by removing a primary threat (introduced, damaging invasive species) and accelerating the return of native plants and animals. We utilize innovative technology and techniques to work more efficiently and showcase the many benefits of holistically restored islands for biodiversity, climate resilience, ocean health, and sustainable development across the globe.