Mauritius Olive White-eye conservation

Olive White-eye

conservation

Mauritius Olive White-eye conservation

Species background

Common name:
Mauritius Olive White-eye

Latin name:
Zosterops chloronothos

Endemic to:
Mauritius

IUCN status:
Critically Endangered (highly threatened)

Distribution:
• Black River Gorges National Park and surrounding areas
• Ile aux Aigrettes (introduced population)
• Ebony Forest (introduced population)

Threats:
• Habitat destruction
• Predation from rats, macaques and exotic birds

Conservation opportunities:
• Establish new sub-populations in a predator controlled areas
• Control predators in territory

Ecology:
Feeds on nectar, insects and fruit

Recognised as the most threatened endemic Mauritian bird, the Mauritius Olive White-eye was once widespread across Mauritius. Today there are estimated to be less than 100 pairs. Urgent action is needed to establish new sub-populations on the mainland, in predator-controlled areas, that will enable the population to expand and allow genetic mixing.

Project objective

Establish a breeding population of Mauritius Olive White-eye at Ebony Forest to decrease the risk of extinction risk.

This is done by:

• Expanding its distribution
• Increasing the population size
• Maintaining genetic diversity and increasing gene flow

• Creating a site where birds can be harvested from in the future to start new sites
• Build local capacity to save threatened passerines

This project contributes to the IUCN/SSC Action points and is in line with the Government’s policies and objectives as defined in the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.

Our approach

Working in partnership with the National Parks and Conservation Service, since 2021, Ebony Forest has been harvesting eggs and chicks to hand-rear. The adults are subsequently released at Ebony Forest.

Territory searches to find nests

Harvesting eggs

Incubating eggs

Mauritius Olive White-eye - hand-rearing chicks

Hand-rearing chicks (0- 16 days old)

Rear fledglings to independence

Mauritius Olive White-eye - acclimatisation

Acclimatise birds to Ebony Forest and then release

Mauritius Olive White-eye - supplementary feed

Monitor and supplementary feed released birds

The reintroduction of the Mauritius Olive White-eye is possible because of:

Forest restoration

Predator control

Breeding insects

Support from National Parks & Conservation Services

Co-funders

The hand-rearing and release of Mauritius Olive White-eye is labour-intensive and this tiny passerine is one of the most challenging species in the world to rear. Following the hand-rearing and release of the birds, we manage the population to ensure its long term survival and expansion by:

Mauritius Olive White-eye - feeding station

Supplementary feeding

Bird monitoring

Project status

Our team began monitoring the Olive White-eye population in the Bois Cheri area and hand-rearing the species in 2022.

In January 2023, we released 6 birds at Ebony Forest. Despite harvesting 15 Olive White-eye eggs during the 2023/2024 breeding season, we were unsuccessful in rearing any chicks to adulthood.

For the 2024/25 season, we are adopting a two-prong approach: hand-rearing eggs and chicks, as previously, and attempting to translocate adult pairs in the hope that they will adopt new territories.