Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
tree skink eats ripe papaya on Ngeaur (Crombie and Pregill,
1999
). Starlings
also eat papaya. Farslow (
1987
) states that “no papaya fruit left to ripen on
the tree is free from attack by starlings.” He also mentions that fruit bats eat
bananas. Monitor lizards were apparently introduced to Ngeaur Island to con-
trol rodents and “they are notorious among the residents for eating chicken
eggs and chicks” (Farslow,
1987
). These large, six-foot long lizards (
Varanus
)
are increasing in numbers and one informant said that they are important
predators of birds on Ngeaur and elsewhere. Farslow (
1987
) recommends a
study of the effects of lizard predation on birds. We were told that the shrew
eats taro, cassava, and sweet potato. There is no documentation as far as we
know of macaques eating crabs and birds in Palau. Neither Farslow (
1987
) nor
Poirier and Smith (
1974
) ever saw monkeys prey on crabs, birds or their nests.
Wheatley
et al
. (
2002
) previously reported that according to local people, even
starving macaques would not eat the land crabs. The statement that Ngeaur
macaques probably disperse alien plant species as mentioned in the Invasive
Species Specialist Group database (Carter, 2008) and by Kemp and Burnett,
(
2003
) is also unsupported. A study of all the endangered and exotic plants and
animals that need protection, not just on Ngeaur, but also on the other islands
of Palau is sorely needed. For example, if Ngeaur were found to have a high
percentage of endemics or a high level of biodiversity then sometimes eradica-
tion might be more understandable (Clout and Lowe,
1996
).
The most significant effect on natural biodiversity is habitat loss (Mittermeier,
1987
; Lee and Macdonald,
1996
). A National Report to the United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification (Anon,
2002
) states that after climate
change, the most serious threat to the Republic of Palau is land degradation
caused by population growth and development. This report specifically refers
to the 53-mile road on Babeldaob which has caused significant vegetation loss
including the dredging of reefs. Mature forests are being cleared there and silt-
ation is also occurring (Pregill and Steadman,
2000
). The construction of new
roads and hotels should be ecologically free from erosion and siltation. The
various entities responsible for threatening biodiversity could be held account-
able for any damage. The State of Hawaii, for example, began imposing fines
on tour companies for damaging coral reefs several years ago. The money can
be used to help restore reefs, for example by re-attaching broken coral colonies.
According to Dr Soule (
2008
), the founder of the Society for Conservation
Biology, roads and development are by far the biggest of all environmental
problems, even bigger than climate change.
The Palauan government showcases its marine resources and has formed
a Marine Invasives Survey Team (Anon,
2007
). An important endemic turtle
nesting beach on Ngerchur Island was recently protected by the eradication of
feral pigs. Exotic turtles could also be a serious threat to endemic freshwater
