Vibrating Resilience

This decline was associated with waves of encounters with foreigners, bringing with them their share of disease. The resilience of this people is all the more impressive given their near extinction. 

The more than humans have also experienced great variations in population. The Omaò ke'eke'e or Fatu Iva Monarch (Pomarea whitneyi) is an insectivorous bird found in the dense, lush forests of Fatu Iva and nowhere else in the world. Its call, similar to a cat's meow, is surprisingly powerful for such a small bird (40 grams!). 

Until a few years ago, the Monarch was an integral part of Marquesan daily life. The elders tell of the bird's ability to imitate human speech. They recall that when they stayed a little late in the bush, it would call them by name so that they would return to the village. 

Today, this species is considered critically endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), with 19 individuals to date, and only 4 breeding pairs. The arrival of the black rat in the 2000s caused the population to plummet, from a thousand individuals in 2002 to 67 in 2009, then to less than 20 by 2023. Feral cats have also proved to be a factor. The recent discovery of young birds dead on the ground, victims of avian malaria, helps to explain the low renewal of its population, despite the fact that almost 80 young birds have fledged in the last 12 years.

Here we are at the heart of the eco-system's fragile balance. For several years now, the Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie Manu (Manu means bird in Polynesian) has been working in the field with very concrete actions to save this bird. There are a number of ways you can support their actions, by joining the team, making a donation or sharing your support with others.

Find out more about the Fatu Iva Monarch and the work carried out by Association Manu.