The United Nations has declared 22 May the International Day for Biological Diversity. This year's theme is 'Alien Invasive Species'. These are not species from another planet, but animals, plants and other organisms that are not native to a country or an island but come from somewhere else. In the tropical Pacific region, the list of such alien invaders is long but some of the common ones are rats, ants, mongoose, and weeds like mile-a-minute.

Like in science fiction films, these aliens 'take over' the space or consume foods of animals and plants that belong in the Pacific. They also often eat the native species, like birds. This can lead to native birds going extinct. Of all animals that have become extinct since 1800, 90% were island birds and 90% of these were lost to invasive species.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki Moon, said in a statement that invasive species affect not only the environment, but also agriculture, forestry, fisheries and human health.

BirdLife International runs a programme that removes alien species, mostly rats, from islands in the Pacific, to protect the birds (and other wildlife) that inhabit these islands. This programme is funded by the Packard Foundation, the Australian government and the UK government's Darwin Initiative. In collaboration with BirdLife Partner organisations, rats have been removed from 17 biologically important islands in Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Palau. This is good for the local wildlife, but also for the people who no longer have their crops damaged and drinking water contaminated by these pests.

Project Officer to BirdLife International's Fiji Programme, Elenoa Seniloli, said that removing these pests "has greatly improved the chance of survival of a number of Fiji's seabirds." She also said that community engagement is vital component of the project. "We would like to thank island owners in Fiji and elsewhere in the Pacific for their continued support on island restoration projects."

The regional Seabird Programme Manager at BirdLife's Pacific office, Steve Cranwell, added: "Pacific islands typically have a high proportion of plants and animals that are found no where else in the world, including more than 400 bird species. However, with no natural defenses to alien invaders, about 30% of Pacific birds are now threatened with extinction. We urgently need to protect Pacific islands from alien invaders, and where possible remove them if they are already there."

Everybody can help to prevent the spread of alien invasive species. As Elenoa Seniloli says: "It is very important that people are aware of the threats these alien pests pose, and how they are spread. People should make sure that their boats and equipment are always rat free especially when they go to an island. These pests often travel by boat! People should also never bring cats or mongoose to an island as they kill birds and other native animals and have already led to the permanent loss of seabirds from islands."

BirdLife International is a worldwide network of conservation NGOs that aim to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. In the Pacific, the BirdLife Partnership is represented in eight countries, supported by a secretariat based in Fiji. The protection of islands that are important for birds, through the removal of invasive species, is a critical part of the Partnership's work. BirdLife Pacific, 21/05/09.