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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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AVES
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Order:
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PSITTACIFORMES
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Family:
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PSITTACIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Vini kuhlii
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Species Authority:
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(Vigors, 1824)
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Common Name/s:
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| English | — | KUHL'S LORIKEET |
| French | — | LORI DE KUHL |
| Spanish | — | LORI DE RIMITARA |
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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EN B1ab(v) ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2004
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Assessor/s:
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BirdLife International
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Evaluator/s:
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Stattersfield, A. & Dutson, G. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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This species qualifies as Endangered because it has a very small distribution, on four islands, and is assumed to be undergoing a continuing decline owing to predation by rats. Its survival on one tiny island with black rats for at least 70 years is a mystery.
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History:
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| 1988 | - | Threatened (Collar and Andrew 1988) |
| 1994 | - | Endangered (Collar, Crosby and Stattersfield 1994) |
| 2000 | - | Endangered (BirdLife International 2000) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Vini kuhlii is restricted to Rimatara in the Tubuai Islands (and according to local people may have occurred on Rurutu in the past2), French Polynesia, and to Teraina (= Washington), Tabuaeran (= Fanning) and Kiritimati (= Christmas Island), Kiribati. There are also early historic and fossil records from the Southern Cook Islands4. On Rimatara, the population was estimated at c.905 birds (minimum) following survey work in 19921, and more recently at c.7507. On Teraina, the population is estimated at 1,000 individuals (minimum), with 50 on Tabuaeran, possibly fewer, on a single islet in the atoll5. On Kiritimati, a few individuals are reported to survive6.
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Countries:
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Native:
French Polynesia; Kiribati
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Population
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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On Rimatara, the favoured habitat is mixed horticultural woodlands, followed by coconut and Paraserianthes falcataria plantations. It also occurs in native makatea forest1. On Teraina and Tabuaeran, it is effectively confined to coconut plantations5. It feeds on nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants (nearly all recently introduced)1.
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System:
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Terrestrial
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Threats
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Threats:
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Excessive exploitation for its red feathers is the most likely reason for the species's extinction from the Cook Islands1,5. A serious threat to all small lorikeets on Pacific islands is nest-predation by rats, especially black rat Rattus rattus3. On Rimatara, preliminary trapping indicated an absence of R. rattus, although the less destructive brown rat R. norvegicus is present1. R rattus stills appeared to be absent in 20007. On Teraina, there is no evidence of the presence of R. rattus, although Pacific rat R. exulans is abundant while, on Tabuaeran, R. rattus occurs5. Cats may be a threat on Kiritimati.
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Conservation measures underway:
CITES Appendix II. In Kiribati, the species is fully-protected5.
Conservation measures proposed:
On Rimatara, monitor the population every two or three years1. Confirm the absence of R. rattus1. Launch a major quarantine campaign to prevent the accidental introduction of R. rattus1. If R. rattus is present in small numbers, take steps to eradicate it1. On Tabuaeran, investigate the species's survival with R. rattus6. In Kiribati, promote greater awareness and enforcement of the wildlife legislation5. In the Southern Cook Islands, consider reintroduction1.
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