Protect Chagos

Creating one of the world's greatest natural conservation areas

The biodiversity of the Chagos archipelago and its surrounding waters is one of the main reasons it is so special. But this incredible diversity is under threat - at least 76 species that call Chagos home are already on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

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A nesting Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) A nesting Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Turtles – General

The remote islands make perfect undisturbed nursery sites for nests of green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles. The populations of both species in Chagos are of global significance given the “Critically Endangered” status of hawksbills and the “Endangered” status of green turtles on the IUCN Red List. Chagos turtles were heavily exploited during the previous two centuries, but they and their habitats are now well protected by the administration of the Chagos, and thanks to the recent declaration of a no-take Protected Area, they should continue to recover well.

Currently, some 300-700 hawksbills and 400-800 green turtles are estimated to nest annually, distributed amongst the 55 islands of the Chagos group. The relative proportion and numbers of each species varies from atoll to atoll. Diego Garcia, which accounts for 57% of the land area of Chagos and 63% of the total coastline, not surprisingly hosts the greatest amount of turtle nesting in the archipelago. Approximately 50% of the land on Diego Garcia is managed as a strict nature reserve where adult female turtles can lay their eggs and immature turtles can forage unmolested by people. A unique feeding site for sea turtles is Turtle Cove, located at the south end of the island.

Over 17 species of seabird nest in the Chagos Over 17 species of seabird nest in the Chagos

Birds – General

Seventeen species of breeding seabirds can be found nesting in huge colonies on many of the islands in the Chagos archipelago, and 10 of the islands have received formal designation as Important Bird Areas by Birdlife International. This means that Chagos has the most diverse breeding seabird community within this tropical region.

Of particular interest are the large colonies of sooty terns (Sterna fuscata), brown and lesser noddy’s (Anous stolidus and A. tenuirostris), wedge-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) and red-footed boobies (Sula sula). Rat colonies on several of the islands cause problems with ground-nesting species, and habitat restoration (including removal of the rats) would be an important part of the management of the Chagos Protected Area.

 

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