Vini ultramarina

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PSITTACIFORMES	PSITTACIDAE

Scientific Name:

Vini ultramarina

Species Authority:

(Kuhl, 1820)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Ultramarine Lorikeet, Ultramarine Lory
Spanish	–	Lori Ultramar

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iv,v) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Mahood, S., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Thibault, J., Raust, P.

Justification:
This species is classified as Endangered because it only survives on two or three tiny islands (both reintroductions) and the tiny populations on two of these may become extirpated in the near future (if they have not already done so), as black rats have recently become established. Its overall population trend is difficult to assess, but it is likely to be undergoing a long-term continuing decline. It would be uplisted to Critically Endangered if black rats reached Ua Huka, the most important islands.

History:

2004	–	Endangered
2000	–	Endangered
1996	–	Endangered
1994	–	Endangered

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Vini ultramarina is endemic to the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. On Ua Pou, it numbered 250-300 pairs in 1975, was rare in 1990^1,6 and was not found in 1998⁸. On Nuku Hiva, it numbered 70 birds in 1972-1975 but could not be found in 1990 or in 2004^1,6,14. Recent records - three from Ua Pou (including one pair) in 1999⁹, one in one week of searching there in 2000¹⁴ and one from Nuku Hiva (at least three birds) in 1998⁸ - may be vagrant birds from Ua Huka rather than relictual populations¹². It was (re)introduced to Ua Huka in the 1940s (a single captive pair), where the population was c.200-250 pairs in the early 1970s and c.1,300 birds in 1991. By 2004 the species may have slightly increased on the island, as a survey found 1,763 - 2,987 individuals^1,3,10,14. It was further (re)introduced to Fatu Hiva (29 birds) in the 1990s², where 51 birds were counted in 1997³ but, by 2000 when rats had become established, fewer than 10 were seen in Omoa Valley; in 2004 the population was estimated at 3-10 individuals, and in 2007 it was considered extinct there^4,14,15.
Countries:	Native: French Polynesia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It feeds on a wide variety of flowering trees on nectar and pollen, prefering flowers of the coconut palm, banana and native Hibiscus tileaceus and fruit, especially mango; as well as on flowers, buds and insects^1,5,14. It nests in tree-cavities preffering Artocarpus altilis, Pometia pinnata, Pandanus tectorius and Hibiscus tileacus^1,5,14.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It is likely that black rat Rattus rattus is responsible for its decline, being present on Nuku Hiva since c.1915, on Ua Pou (probably) since 1980, on a motu a few hundred metres from Ua Huka⁶, and confirmed, for the first time, on Fatu Hiva in February 2000¹¹. All islands have been devastated by very high levels of grazing and fire, and much of the original dry forest has been reduced to grassland, and extensive damage has been caused even to upland forests¹³. Were the black rat to colonise Ua Huka patterns observed on other islands would indicate that the species would decline almost to extinction within 20 years¹⁴.

Major Threat(s):

It is likely that black rat Rattus rattus is responsible for its decline, being present on Nuku Hiva since c.1915, on Ua Pou (probably) since 1980, on a motu a few hundred metres from Ua Huka⁶, and confirmed, for the first time, on Fatu Hiva in February 2000¹¹. All islands have been devastated by very high levels of grazing and fire, and much of the original dry forest has been reduced to grassland, and extensive damage has been caused even to upland forests¹³. Were the black rat to colonise Ua Huka patterns observed on other islands would indicate that the species would decline almost to extinction within 20 years¹⁴.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix I and II. In 1992-1994, 29 birds were translocated to Fatu Hiva²and a follow-up survey was conducted in 1997³, after the arrival of black rats on the island a trapping program was intitated in 2002 in the Punahitahi vally to help conserve the Fatu Iva Monarch Pomarea whitneyi which might have had some marginal benefit for this species, were it still extant on that island¹⁴. The local council at the port on Ua Huka have been issued with rat traps to help prevent the accidental introduction black rats to that island¹⁴. One local person has been employed in the rat control program on Fatu Hiva and posters of the species have been distributed to schools and community centres on Fatu Hiva and Ua Huka¹⁴. Conservation Actions Proposed Consider the possibility of translocation to the nearby island of Mohotani if cats are eradicated from this island⁷. On Fatu Hiva, continue to control rats, expand trapping to also include the Omoa Valley¹¹. On Ua Huka, monitor the population and take all precautions to prevent invasion by rats.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I and II. In 1992-1994, 29 birds were translocated to Fatu Hiva²and a follow-up survey was conducted in 1997³, after the arrival of black rats on the island a trapping program was intitated in 2002 in the Punahitahi vally to help conserve the Fatu Iva Monarch Pomarea whitneyi which might have had some marginal benefit for this species, were it still extant on that island¹⁴. The local council at the port on Ua Huka have been issued with rat traps to help prevent the accidental introduction black rats to that island¹⁴. One local person has been employed in the rat control program on Fatu Hiva and posters of the species have been distributed to schools and community centres on Fatu Hiva and Ua Huka¹⁴.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Consider the possibility of translocation to the nearby island of Mohotani if cats are eradicated from this island⁷. On Fatu Hiva, continue to control rats, expand trapping to also include the Omoa Valley¹¹. On Ua Huka, monitor the population and take all precautions to prevent invasion by rats.

Bibliography [top]

	Holyoak, D. T.; Thibault, J. -C. 1984. Contribution à l'étude des oiseaux de Polynésie orientale. Memoires du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle - Serie A: Zoologie 127: 1-209. Kuehler, C.; Lieberman, A. 1993. Ultramarine Lory update. Re-introduction News: 12. Kuehler, C.; Lieberman, A.; Varney, A.; Unitt, P.; Sulpice, R. M.; Azua, J.; Tehevini, B. 1997. Translocation of Ultramarine Lories Vini ultramarina in the Marquesas Islands: Ua Huka and Fatu Hiva. Bird Conservation International 7: 69-80. Pratt, H. D.; Bruner, P. L.; Berrett, D. G. 1987. A field guide to the birds of Hawaii and the tropical Pacific. Princeton University Press, Princeton. Seitre, R.; Seitre, J. 1991. Causes de disparition des oiseaux terrestres de Polynésie Française. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Nouméa. SPREP. 1999. Proceedings of the Polynesian Avifauna Conservation Workshop held in Rarotonga, 26-30 April 1999. Thibault, J. -C. 1988. Menaces et conservation des oiseaux de Polynésie Française. In: Thibault, J.-C.; Guyot, I. (ed.), Livre rouge des oiseaux menacés des régions françaises d'outre-mer, pp. 87-124. Conseil International pour la Protection des Oiseaux, Saint-Cloud. Thibault, J.-C.; Meyer, J.-Y. 2000. The arrival of the black rat (Rattus rattus) on Fatuiva, Marquesas Islands. Bulletin de la Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie (Te Manu) 31: 5-7. WWF/IUCN. 1994-1995. Centres of plant diversity: a guide and strategy for their conservation. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Cambridge, U.K. Ziembicki, M.; Raust, P. 2004. Conservation of the Ultramarine Lory in the Marquesas Islands. PsittaScene 16: 11-14.

Holyoak, D. T.; Thibault, J. -C. 1984. Contribution à l'étude des oiseaux de Polynésie orientale. Memoires du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle - Serie A: Zoologie 127: 1-209.

Kuehler, C.; Lieberman, A. 1993. Ultramarine Lory update. Re-introduction News: 12.

Kuehler, C.; Lieberman, A.; Varney, A.; Unitt, P.; Sulpice, R. M.; Azua, J.; Tehevini, B. 1997. Translocation of Ultramarine Lories Vini ultramarina in the Marquesas Islands: Ua Huka and Fatu Hiva. Bird Conservation International 7: 69-80.

Pratt, H. D.; Bruner, P. L.; Berrett, D. G. 1987. A field guide to the birds of Hawaii and the tropical Pacific. Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Seitre, R.; Seitre, J. 1991. Causes de disparition des oiseaux terrestres de Polynésie Française. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Nouméa.

SPREP. 1999. Proceedings of the Polynesian Avifauna Conservation Workshop held in Rarotonga, 26-30 April 1999.

Thibault, J. -C. 1988. Menaces et conservation des oiseaux de Polynésie Française. In: Thibault, J.-C.; Guyot, I. (ed.), Livre rouge des oiseaux menacés des régions françaises d'outre-mer, pp. 87-124. Conseil International pour la Protection des Oiseaux, Saint-Cloud.

Thibault, J.-C.; Meyer, J.-Y. 2000. The arrival of the black rat (Rattus rattus) on Fatuiva, Marquesas Islands. Bulletin de la Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie (Te Manu) 31: 5-7.

WWF/IUCN. 1994-1995. Centres of plant diversity: a guide and strategy for their conservation. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Cambridge, U.K.

Ziembicki, M.; Raust, P. 2004. Conservation of the Ultramarine Lory in the Marquesas Islands. PsittaScene 16: 11-14.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Vini ultramarina. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
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