Nene geese, Big Island, Hawaii

Pacific Islands

 

What all islands have in common is that they are isolated from the mainland. That creates a unique environment, with species of animals and plants that may be very different from their counterparts on the mainland. Island ecosystems are fragile and easily disturbed by the combined threats of introduced species and diseases, habitat loss, and the cascading impacts of climate change. While islands make up a small amount of Earth’s land mass, they are disproportionately vulnerable to biodiversity loss.

 

Map of the islands of the Pacific, including Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Guam, Palau, Micronesia, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, and more.