INSEAD Annual Report 2023-20143 test - Flipbook - Page 14
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Projects
Bertarelli Foundation
Seabird Connectivity
Seabirds are oceanic voyagers – some species can
travel thousands of miles over open ocean, further
than any other animal. However, they also have strong
attachments to particular areas, returning repeatedly
to breed and forage in the same place. The question
of where they go, and why, remains one of the most
enduring mysteries in science. Human activities have
negatively impacted seabird populations globally
and a loss of breeding colonies has led to population
collapse and fragmentation. In the tropical Indian
Ocean, the remaining breeding colonies are frequently
restricted to remote and undisturbed oceanic islands.
The connection of different seabird populations in the
Western Indian Ocean, and their genetic relatedness,
is key to seabird conservation. Isolated populations
are less resilient than inter-connected ones, and the
amount of movement between sites will influence the
recolonisation of islands which have been restored.
Identifying sites where seabirds and their prey interact
in the vast open ocean helps inform how areas are
protected and managed.
This multi-team project is working to understand
connectivity among seabird communities at the scale
of the Western Indian Ocean, and also more locally
within the Chagos Archipelago.
