Birds, beaches and boat rides: conducting research in Tetiaroa
Almost 5,000 miles away from the University of Washington lies Tetiaroa, an atoll in French Polynesia surrounded by a ring of coral reefs.
A team of UW scientists have visted Tetiaroa each year since 2018 to study seabird populations, which play a vital role in marine environments and the islands that lie within them. A variety of factors negatively impact Tetiaroa’s seabird population, including invasive species and climate change.
Some of the seabird species that call Tetiaroa home are Red-footed and Brown Booby, Great Crested Tern, and Brown Noddy. Using a variety of tools such as acoustic monitoring, nest monitoring, banding, and point counts, the team comprised of SAFS and SEFS scientists – led by Beth Gardner and Sarah Converse – are at the forefront of efforts to support a sustainable future for Tetiaroa’s seabird population.
The team will return to Tetiaroa later this year to conduct more research so stay tuned for updates from across the ocean!
