Taveuni Invasive Alien Species Awareness Week Call For Partnership

The Taveuni Invasive Alien Species (IAS) Awareness week was held last month at the Waiyevo Government Station grounds in Taveuni.

The theme for the event was: Protect our islands, our biodiversity, our crops, our culture and our identity.

The three-day event, organised by the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF), aims to raise awareness on invasive species which threaten Taveuni’s endemic species.

During the event, there were heightened calls for an increase in collaboration among the different stakeholders on Taveuni and Qamea to prevent the spread of the Giant Invasive Iguana from Qamea to Taveuni and also eradicate and control the species in Qamea, Matagi and Laucala.

About the event

The event was facilitated by 14 partners, who are now part of the Four Island Invasive Species Taskforce (FIIT), led by the district office in Taveuni and the Cakaudrove Provincial Office.

A key message during the event was the importance of immediately reporting any sightings of Giant Invasive Iguanas to the BAF’s hotline 5995 if they are found on one of the four islands.

BAF Taveuni station officer, Savirio Toloi, said, “If we are to eradicate the Giant Invasive Iguana from the four islands, we need the support from all the stakeholders. One of our main partners are the communities – they are our eyes and ears on the ground and we need you to report any sightings immediately to BAF so our team is able to respond efficiently to those sightings,” Mr Toloi said.

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti director, Nunia Thomas- Moko, said she was impressed by the school’s oratory contest and the fact that primary school students were aware of the effects the Giant Invasive Iguana poses to Taveuni’s biodiversity and its agricultural products.

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