Saving Polynesia's Rarest Birds
A conservation project in partnership with MANU – Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie
As the MS Island Sky journeys across the Pacific in November 2026, the Noble Caledonia Charitable Trust is supporting a vital conservation mission to protect two of French Polynesia's most threatened bird species.
Led by local conservation organisation MANU, the project aims to establish new populations of the critically endangered Polynesian Ground Dove and the endangered Tuamotu Sandpiper on the remote atoll of Temoe.
These remarkable birds survive on only a small number of islands in the Tuamotu-Gambier archipelago, making their future particularly vulnerable to environmental threats and introduced predators.
Protecting Two Remarkable Species
The Polynesian Ground Dove
The Polynesian Ground Dove (Pampusana erythroptera), also known as the Itikoe or Tutururu, is classified as Critically Endangered.
With an estimated population of just 200 birds in the Actéon Islands of the southern Tuamotu archipelago, establishing a second secure population is essential to its long-term survival.
Polynesian ground dove – Pampusana erythroptera
The Tuamotu Sandpiper
The Tuamotu Sandpiper (Prosobonia parvirostris), locally known as the Titi, is another extraordinary bird found only in the Tuamotu Islands.
Classified as Endangered, the species is distributed across seven atolls, although only two support viable populations of more than 500 individuals.
Creating a secure additional population will help reduce the risk of extinction and strengthen the future of this unique species.
Tuamotu sandpiper – Prosobonia parvirostris
A New Safe Haven on Temoe
The conservation operation will involve carefully relocating birds from the Actéon Islands to the remote atoll of Temoe.
Restored in 2015 by MANU and its partners, Temoe offers an opportunity to establish new safety populations in a carefully managed environment. Part of the atoll is also in the process of being designated as a protected area.
Working alongside the local community, including the Gambier organisation Toromiki, MANU is implementing important biosecurity measures to protect the island from introduced predators.
A Carefully Planned Journey
The operation aims to relocate 30 individuals of each species. Birds will be carefully captured and held for two to five days before beginning their journey to Temoe.
Transport will be provided by the French Navy, with the journey expected to take approximately fifteen hours.
Before departure, each bird will be measured and fitted with an identifying colour band. Feather samples will also be collected for genetic sex determination.
Following their release, the birds will be monitored for six days, with a further assessment planned six months later.
60 Birds
The project aims to relocate 30 Polynesian Ground Doves and 30 Tuamotu Sandpipers.
Temoe Atoll
A restored island habitat offering the opportunity to establish new, protected bird populations.
6 Months
A follow-up assessment will help evaluate the success of the conservation translocation.
Doubling the Impact of Your Donation
During Noble Caledonia's Pearls of Polynesia and South Pacific Odyssey voyages, all donations received by the Noble Caledonia Charitable Trust will be passed directly to MANU.
To make every contribution go further, NCCT will match donations up to a total of £3,000.
Funds raised will support the translocation operation and the essential monitoring that follows, helping give these rare birds a more secure future.
Your Donation Goes Twice as Far
NCCT will match eligible donations pound for pound, up to a combined matching contribution of £3,000.
Matching applies while the £3,000 matching fund remains available.
"Protecting these rare island birds today offers hope that future generations will continue to encounter them in the wild."
Safeguarding Polynesia's Natural Heritage
Remote Pacific islands are home to some of the world's most extraordinary wildlife, but their isolation also makes many species particularly vulnerable.
Through practical conservation, local partnerships and long-term monitoring, MANU is working to give two threatened bird species a better chance of survival.
With the support of Noble Caledonia travellers and the Charitable Trust, this ambitious project can help secure an important part of French Polynesia's natural heritage for generations to come.
How to Contribute
If you would like to support this conservation project, you can donate online:
Donate OnlineAlternatively, if you would prefer to make a donation by cheque, please make it payable to 'NCCT' and send it to:
2 Chester Close
London, SW1X 7BE
If you are eligible for Gift Aid, you can increase your donation by 25% at no extra cost by completing our Gift Aid Form .