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Newsletter 5 May 2010

Ni Sa Bula and welcome to our May 2010 The valenisoqo (village hall) at our sago palm Newsletter. As you will see the NatureFiji- project rehabilitation site – Culanuku Village MareqetiViti (NFMV) team continue to be has been graced with a monument from the busy and involved in many exciting and British High fruitful projects. Commission (Suva). A plaque NFMV have been working with many partners commemorating on the conservation issues facing Fiji. One of the British High the partners is RiversFiji who manage The Commission’s Upper Navua Conservation Site, support for the internationally known for being one of Fiji’s community of Protected Areas and Fiji’s first “Wetland of Culanuku was personally delivered by Her International Importance” or “Ramsar site”. Majesty’s High Commissioner to Fiji, His Excellency Mr. Mac McLachlan on the 13th of January 2010.

We thank the British High Commission (Suva) for their continued support for NFMV and the community of Culanuku.

NFMV was also invited by the Birdlife International Fiji Programme for a workshop

at Daviqele Village, Kadavu on the “Mount Logging at the site has been a continual Nabukelevu Important Bird Area (IBA) activity since RiversFiji started operating an Management Planning Workshop”. eco-tourism business at the Navua gorge. To date logging is still the biggest threat to the Kelera Macedru, NFMV’s conservation officer Protected Area. attended the two day workshop presenting to the 40 attending participants on the RiversFiji have proposed setting up an endangered species that NFMV is researching. information centre for visitors, where there would be awareness materials to promote Work on drafting a management plan for the the unique biodiversity of the 614 ha site. community declared Protected Area will be Public support could be one of the greatest an ongoing activity, for Site Support Group tools used in protecting the site. NFMV Members, relevant members of the greatly supports the Conservation work of community and Birdlife International. RiversFiji and will work with them closely to protect one of Fiji’s greatest landmarks.

MareqetiViti is best translated as ‘Caring for Fiji’

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti’s mission is to enhance biodiversity and habitat conservation, endangered species protection and sustainable use of natural resources of the Fiji Islands through the promotion of collaborative conservation action, awareness raising, education, research and biodiversity information exchange.1

Feature Article

Fiji’s own boa constrictor snake – red bellies. There are different patterns on Fact and Fiction different islands. Most snakes on Taveuni have zig-zag patterns on their backs, while Viti Levu Helen Sykes, Marine Ecology Consulting snakes are blotchy with a black stripe on their Candoia bibroni belly. bibroni is Fiji’s own Fiction: Snakes are a pest snake, of the Pacific Fact: Fiji boas are great at pest control! They Island boa family. Its eat mice, rats and mynah birds. Even the smell closest cousin is of a snake may keep rats and mice away from Candoia bibroni your house or garden. australis, the Solomon Islands boa. Snakes have an Fiction: Boa constrictors are giant snakes undeservedly bad reputation and many people Fact: The Fiji boa is quite small. The females kill or damage them. It’s time to sort Fact from reach a maximum of 2 metres long with a Fiction and wake up to these beautiful, thickness of a woman’s wrist, while the males harmless and useful animals. are usually only 1m to 1m 30cm long, and about as thick as a man’s thumb. Fiction: All snakes are poisonous Fact: Boa constrictors are not poisonous, but Fiction: Snakes cannot be tamed kill their prey by sitting still, grabbing the Fact: When kept in properly made cages and animal, and wrapping their body around it handled kindly and tightly until the animal can no longer breathe. regularly, snakes Once the animal is dead the snake swallows it can make great whole. They have special jaws that unhinge to pets. However, it is allow them to open wide enough to swallow not kind to take a rats or even fruit bats. wild animal and put it in a cage. It is Fiction: All snakes have large sharp teeth also against the law (fangs). to capture and Fact: Boa keep a Fiji boa constrictors do not without a permit have fangs. They because it is a have small, CITES listed species. delicate teeth, facing backwards Fiction: Snakes are evil to help hold onto Fact: Because of the Bible story about the their food. Even if serpent that tempted Eve, some people think a Fiji boa bites a human by mistake, the teeth that snakes are evil, but this was just a way of are not large enough to tear our skin, although telling the story, to say that the devil took the the pin-pricks may bleed a little. Getting shape of a snake. No animal is “evil”; they are scratched by a cat is worse! all part of nature.

Fiction: Snakes are ugly, slimy creatures For more information please visit Fact: The skin of the boa is dry, soft and feels www.pacificboasnakes.blogspot.com like silk. Most are brown/pinkish, but some are grey/black, yellow/green, or even black with

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti Newsletter Issue Number 5, Page 2 www.naturefiji.org May 2010

Project Updates

Harvesting Ban on Sago Palm provided Eleazar and his team with important experience in handling, measuring and Culanuku Village has now enforced a 5 year weighing petrels. ban on harvesting within their rehabilitation sago site. In April, the project took NFMV has also possession of a heard from state of the Roko Tui art “burrow Serua that all scope” 2 villages within metres of the Serua probe with a Province have camera in the head sending wireless signals to unanimously agreed at their village meetings a screen on the surface. Eleazar has already that a ban on unsustainable sago harvesting established that the collared petrel burrow we should be enforced for conservation. monitored last year has a small chick in it The Serua Provincial Office with support from again this year. The burrow scope will show the Fijian Affairs Board, Ministry of Indigenous whether petrels or crabs live in the many Affairs supports the conservation of sago palm burrows that we find. In July we will welcome but is also mindful of its economic benefits to Jill West, a volunteer who has vast experience landowners. Working with NFMV, they are in monitoring petrel and shearwater burrows. introducing a sustainable harvesting manual to assist harvesters and the conservation efforts Tomaniivi Nature Club meets the being undertaken. Fijian Affairs Board Thanks to our members and friends who Four youths from our Tomaniivi Nature Club participated in the club event at the Garrick assisted the NFMV team their presentation of Reserve, weeding invasive species from the the Permanent forest estates project to the sago palm plantation – despite the rain. Fijian Affairs Fiji petrel – news from Gau Board on the 23rd of May The New Year heralds the “Petrel Season” as 2010. Meli we know it. The February new moon found Naiqama Eleazar O’Conner, Qalo Moce, Peni Kacau and (Nasoqo), Meli Dick Watling up at Waitabua high on the ridge Lote (Nasoqo), above Nukuloa village, Gau. Litia Taubere (Nadala) and There have Sunia Kalidredre (Nadala) were nominated to been no represent their team and met with the Roko signs of the Tui Ba, Ratu Isimeli Vanalagilagi Vesikula. Fiji petrel during Feb They also participated in a workshop on to April but preparing project proposals, facilitated by there are Maaike Manten, Birdlife International. tens if not hundreds of collared petrels in the vicinity. Over 20 collared petrels have landed and

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti Newsletter Issue Number 5, Page 3 www.naturefiji.org May 2010

Other NFMV and Member News

“Plant a million trees” campaign NatureFiji-MareqetiViti’s First The Department of Forests recently launched Corporate GOLD Member their “Plant a million trees” campaign. The NFMV welcomes ATS Pacific Fiji as our first aim is for Fiji to plant a million trees by April corporate GOLD member. ATS Pacific Fiji is the 2011, thereby educating children and the leading inbound travel management company citizens of Fiji on the importance of trees in in the South Pacific. Their operations are our daily lives, our economy and in maintaining located in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. ATS our fragile islands. Opened by His Excellency Pacific Fiji signing up to join NFMV The President of the Republic of the Fiji demonstrates their recognition of Fiji’s need Islands, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, the three day for conservation and that they support our campaign saw Fiji’s government agencies and mission and objectives. A warm welcome to conservation ATS Pacific Fiji from all the NFMV team. NGOs at Rt. Sukuna Park Membership News informing Fiji about why NFMV’s membership is growing steadily. We trees are so currently have 114 members and aim to have important for 300 by the year 2012. our A call for renewal of membership has recently biodiversity. The NFMV, South Pacific Regional been sent out to some of our members. If you Herbarium and Wetlands International team have not renewed your membership, please display was a success – it was the most popular take the time to do so, as membership is the stand at the exhibition! strength of NatureFiji-MareqetiViti.

NFMV welcomes Ruth Urben, a new We have added a new category of NFMV Life Member member called “Supporter” for people who participate in our conservation activities but Ruth Urben has joined NFMV as a Life Member cannot pay the annual membership fee. bringing to the number of life members to Supporters will not be eligible for discounts or three. NFMV is very grateful to Ruth for her voting, but they will be a part of NFMV and generosity. As a small organization struggling receive our newsletter. to reach a sustainable status, life membership donations are very welcome as they contribute NFMV has also joined the social networking site greatly to our core funding. Ruth is presently www.facebook.com. Stuart Gow from Matava working at SOPAC. resort was a great help in setting up our page. Vinaka Stuart! Matava Resort - NFMV welcomes its First Resort Corporate Sponsor NFMV acknowledges the many members who have been active in assisting us through out the Matava Resort, on the far western tip of years, we will continue to organise activities Kadavu, has become NFMV’s first Resort as a and updates on our projects for our club Corporate Sponsor. Matava, is an eco members. Any feedback from you is welcome. adventure getaway offering a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure Published by NatureFiji-MareqetiViti the working arm of the activities in the environmentally diverse and Fiji Nature Conservation Trust remote island of Kadavu. For Newsletter content, contact us at [email protected] © NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, 14 Hamilton Beattie Street, Suva, Fiji, Phone: +679 3100598 Fax: +679 3100582

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti Newsletter Issue Number 5, Page 4 www.naturefiji.org May 2010