Funafuti Conservation Area
Encyclopedia
Funafuti Conservation Area is a marine conservation area covering 33 square kilometers (12.74 square miles) of reef, lagoon and motu (islets) on the western side of Funafuti
Funafuti
Funafuti is an atoll that forms the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It has a population of 4,492 , making it the most populated atoll in the country. It is a narrow sweep of land between 20 and 400 metres wide, encircling a large lagoon 18 km long and 14 km wide, with a surface of...

 atoll in Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...

.

The decision to create a protected area (Kogatapu) was made in 1999; the purpose of the Funafuti Conservation Area is the conservation of the marine and land based biodiversity (plants, animals and ecosystems) within the protected area. The boundaries of the Funafuti Conservation Area encompass about 20 percent of the total coral reef area of Funafuti lagoon.

History

The project to create the Kogatapu began under the administration of the Funafuti Town Council and with the support of the South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP), the conservation area was funded under SPREP's South Pacific Biodiversity Conservation Programme (SPBCP). After surveys of the marine environment, and consultation with the land owners and the Kaupule o Funafuti, (the elders and decision makers of Funafuti) in 1999 the Government of Tuvalu, formally created the Kogatapu in the Kaupule o Funafuti Conservation Area Order made under Section 3 of the Conservation Area Act, which order took effect on the 1st December, 1999.

Land and marine environment

The Funafuti Conservation Area is sometimes called the 'Kogatapu Conservation Area' or 'Funafuti Marine Conservation Area'. Six islets (motu, in Tuvaluan) are included in the Funafuti Conservation Area: Tepuka Vili Vili, (also called Tepuka Savilivili); Fualopa
Fualopa
Fualopa is an islet of Funafuti, Tuvalu. It is part of the Funafuti Conservation Area, established in 1996 with the aim of preserving the natural fauna and flora of the area. Fualopa hosts a breeding colony of Black Noddy-Lakia.-References:...

; Fuafatu
Fuafatu
Fuafatu is an islet of Funafuti, Tuvalu, north of Tefala.Fuafatu is part of the Funafuti Conservation Area, established in 1996 with the aim of preserving the natural fauna and flora of the area.-References:...

; Vasafua
Vasafua
Vasafua is an isle of Funafuti, Tuvalu.Vasafua is part of the Funafuti Conservation Area, established in 1996 with the aim of preserving the natural fauna and flora of the area....

; Fuagea
Fuagea
Fuagea is an isle located in the archipelago of Tuvalu in the south-western part of the atoll of Funafuti.Fuagea along with Tepuka is part of the Funafuti Conservation Area, established in 1996 with the aim of preserving the natural fauna and flora of the area.-References:...

  (also called as Fuakea) and Tefala
Tefala
Tefala is an isle of Funafuti, Tuvalu.Tefala is part of the Funafuti Conservation Area, established in 1996 with the aim of preserving the natural fauna and flora of the area.-References:...

. The islets  have 40% of the remaining native broadleaf forest on Funafuti atoll.

Coconut crab
Coconut crab
The coconut crab, Birgus latro, is a species of terrestrial hermit crab, also known as the robber crab or palm thief. It is the largest land-living arthropod in the world, and is probably at the upper size limit of terrestrial animals with exoskeletons in today's atmosphere at a weight of up to...

s (Birgus latro) live on the islets; which are also nesting sites for the green sea turtle
Green Sea Turtle
The Green sea turtle or green turtle is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...

 (Chelonia mydas). The marine environment of the Kogatapu includes reef, lagoon, channel and ocean; and are home to many species of fish, corals, algae and invertebrates.

Surveys prior to 1999 identified 76 species of indicator fish, 141 species of food fish and 149 mobile invertebrates such as crabs and sea cucumbers. A 2007 survey established that fish populations had increased as a result of the Funafuti Conservation Area. Large-sized individual fishes of the highly-prized target food species, such as groupers and snappers were observed; with the presence of so many large fish of desirable target food species indicating that there is very low fishing pressure in the Funafuti Conservation Area.

Bird life of Tuvalu

Surveys have established a total of 35 bird species as confirmed in Tuvalu. These comprise 13 breeding species, including nine species of seabirds.

The migratory species that have been confirmed in Tuvalu include nine species of seabirds, such as the Black Noddy
Black Noddy
The Black Noddy or White-capped Noddy is a seabird from the tern family. It resembles the closely related Brown or Common Noddy , but is smaller with darker plumage, a whiter cap, a longer, straighter beak and shorter tail...

 (Anous minutes) or taketake (Tuvaluan); and eight species of shorebirds, including the globally threatened species, Bristle-thighed Curlew
Bristle-thighed Curlew
The Bristle-thighed Curlew, Numenius tahitiensis, is a large shorebird that breeds in Alaska and winters on tropical Pacific islands. It has a long, decurved bill and bristled feathers at the base of the legs. Its length is about 43 cm and wingspan about 84 cm...

 (Numenius tahitiensis).

Fualopa
Fualopa
Fualopa is an islet of Funafuti, Tuvalu. It is part of the Funafuti Conservation Area, established in 1996 with the aim of preserving the natural fauna and flora of the area. Fualopa hosts a breeding colony of Black Noddy-Lakia.-References:...

 hosts a breeding colony of Black Noddy
Black Noddy
The Black Noddy or White-capped Noddy is a seabird from the tern family. It resembles the closely related Brown or Common Noddy , but is smaller with darker plumage, a whiter cap, a longer, straighter beak and shorter tail...

.

Access to the Funafuti Conservation Area

The protected lagoon, coral reefs and bommies provide for snorkeling and scuba diving.

The Funafuti Conservation Area is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) across the lagoon from the main island of Fongafale
Fongafale
Fongafale is the largest of Funafuti's islets in Tuvalu. It's a long snake-like sliver of land, 12 kilometres long and between 10 and 400 metres wide, with the South Pacific Ocean on the east and the protected lagoon on the west.The airstrip runs from northeast to southwest on the widest part of...

; access to the Funafuti Conservation Area is by boat.

External links

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