Protecting the unique biodiversity of the Falklands  

Emily Williams, an ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, discusses a project to tackle invasive non-native species on the Falkland Islands, which included a recent visit to share knowledge with local experts... 

Invasive non-native species are not only a major concern for island biodiversity; in some cases, they can also threaten livelihoods and human health. Over the last three years, as part of the UKCEH-led Darwin Plus 175 project, we have had the privilege of working with communities across the UK Overseas Territories to increase understanding of the impacts of invasive species on these beautiful islands and support action to mitigate the threats the species pose. 

The main focus of a recent visit to the Falklands by some of the project team - Helen Roy, David Roy and myself from UKCEH and Kelly Martinou of the Joint Services Health Unit, Cyprus - was to meet people who are working on the islands to tackle invasive species. The incredible knowledge of local experts has been invaluable for the project. Through a four-day workshop we gained valuable insights into both the ecology of the Falkland Islands, as well as the recent successes and challenges faced when working to monitor and control invasive species. 

Beautiful and remote, the Falkland Islands archipelago is comprised of over 700 islands with a total land area equivalent to around half the size of Wales. Alongside making up a stunning landscape, a wide range of native habitats, including diddle-dee heath, coastal bluegrass, and whitegrass meadows provide food and shelter for the plethora of spectacular wildlife that call the Falklands home.  

Several plant species are unique to the islands, including the Falklands woolly ragwort, the snake plant and the critically endangered Falkland Nassauvia, only identified in 2013.  

Despite an off-roading adventure coming to a squelchy and peaty end as our vehicle came to an abrupt stop on our way to see Elephant Seals, we were lucky enough to see a variety of spectacular local wildlife over the course of our two-week visit. The Falkland Islands are home to one of the largest populations of Gentoo Penguins on earth, alongside colonies of King, Magellanic, Macaroni and Rockhopper Penguins, which are regularly monitored by Falklands Conservation in collaboration with local landowners.  

Several species of sea lions, seals, whales and dolphins can be seen along the coastlines, while over 220 species of birds have been recorded across the islands.  

The first successful eradication operation of terrestrial invasive non-native species in the Falklands focused on the Patagonian fox, which has now been removed from three offshore islands. There have also been successful rat eradication operations on 64 offshore islands, and regular monitoring of these islands continues as part of wider biosecurity initiatives.  

Current eradication and control programmes include ongoing site-led control of mouse-eared hawkweed, and an initiative that aims to restore the unique wildlife and habitats of New Island through controlling invasive populations of European rabbits, black rats, house mice and feral cats.  

Data on these eradications and re-invasion risks are stored in a spreadsheet and entered into the Falkland Islands Biodiversity Database, which also contains full lists of all the plants and animals, including invasive species, found on the 475 offshore islands in the archipelago. Meanwhile, apps used for monitoring across the Falkland Islands include Locus, which maps and records both native and non-native plant species, as well as a new bespoke weeds app and database.  

One method used for the post-eradication monitoring of Norway rats is the deployment of detection dogs. These dogs and their handlers carry out regular checks of rodent-free offshore islands and nature reserves, alongside cargoes and vessels travelling to these areas, to ensure they stay free of invasive rodents. Some dogs have other roles, including detecting invasive non-native species that could threaten biodiversity but are not yet recorded on the islands, such as the harlequin ladybird. 

We were lucky enough to be given the opportunity to meet three of these wonderful dogs from South Atlantic Detection Dogs, who are in various stages of their training - Sammy has been working as a detection dog for many years, whereas Quince is at the very start of her training! 

A ranking activity was carried out to decide which invasive species should be made a priority in terms of management and public awareness.  

At the top of the list was calafate, a spiny evergreen shrub that spreads rapidly, forcing out native plants growing. It reduces available grazing land and its thorns can catch in the fleece of sheep, damaging their wool, resulting in lost income for local sheep farmers. It has already been the focus of extensive control schemes; since 2017, over 2,844 hectares of land have been surveyed and successfully controlled.  

Feral goats were also identified as a priority for action as they can destroy vulnerable habitats and rare plant species through overgrazing and trampling. There is also concern that they act as carriers for diseases or compete with sheep for grazing spots, potentially leading to economic losses for farmers.  

The inaccessibility of data collected on invasive species in the Falklands was a problem highlighted by several experts over the course of the workshop. There was extensive discussion on how new technologies can be used to complement the amazing work that is already happening across the Falkland Islands. 

It was agreed that a central online repository for the various datasets, databases and spreadsheets used to store monitoring and eradication data would be a fantastic way of linking the information together for easier access.  

Other barriers to monitoring biological invasions in the Falkland Islands include: 

• limited funding for long-term eradication programmes 

• a lack of legislation in place to combat the spread or introduction of invasive non-native species 

• limited public awareness of the threats these species can pose to biodiversity and livelihoods.  

To combat this, suggested monitoring priorities include raising awareness among the public, landowners and policymakers about the importance of monitoring invasive species, the threats they pose and the need for fast action to prevent their spread.

This will include developing resources such as posters and postcards, and promoting citizen science platforms such as iNaturalist to improve public reporting. These resources will underpin the online repository for data on invasive species that has been developed through the Darwin Plus 175 project. It was exciting to hear that an invasive species working group will be set up to ensure the legacy of the results of this project amongst other relevant tasks. 

It was inspiring to hear about the ongoing actions to protect the spectacular wildlife and landscapes on the Falkland Islands, and share ideas. We look forward to seeing how the outputs from this workshop can be developed to support this incredible work, to safeguard the Falklands’ unique biodiversity and local economy from the threats that biological invasions pose. 

Further information 

The workshop included experts from the Falkland Islands Government, Island LandCare, JNCC, South Atlantic Detection Dogs and Falklands Nature.  

It was part of the Darwin Plus 175 programme, funded by UK government grants and led by UKCEH, which is drawing up inventories of invasive non-native species on each of the UK Overseas Territories to address major gaps in knowledge.