Blog on Adrien Gelle

Barau’s Petrel: Reunion’s Endangered Seabird and Cultural Icon

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A Brief History

The Barau’s Petrel was only formally described in 1964 by Christian Jouanin (Jouanin and Gill, 1967; Mayr, 1971), making it one of the most recently discovered seabird species, despite being well-known to local communities for centuries. Its name honors Armand Barau, a Réunion-born ornithologist and agricultural engineer who contributed significantly to the island’s natural history.

Nesting Cavity of Barau’s Petrel (Pterodroma baraui) in the Grand Bénare colony (©Merlène Saunier)

Range and Endemism

This species is strictly endemic to Réunion Island, nesting in remote, high-altitude colonies between 2,200 and 2,800 meters on volcanic massifs such as Piton des Neiges and Grand Bénare. These burrows, dug into soft volcanic soil, are among the most inaccessible seabird nesting sites in the world. After breeding, Barau Petrels migrate thousands of kilometers across the Indian Ocean, reaching areas near Madagascar, South Africa, and even the Ninety East Ridge, with only one nest found on Rodrigues Island at low altitude (Van Den Berg et al., 1991).

Approximate breeding distribution of Barau’s Petrel (Pterodroma baraui) on the two central massifs of Réunion Island, Piton des Neiges and Grand Bénare (Pinet et al., 2009)

Conservation Status and Threats

The IUCN lists Barau’s Petrel as Endangered, with an estimated population of 30,000–40,000 mature individuals and a declining trend (BirdLife International, 2018). Its survival is impacted by:

Light Pollution: Fledglings mistake city lights for moonlight guiding them to the sea, leading to fatal grounding. Up to 40% of fledglings are affected each season.
Introduced Predators: Feral cats and rats prey on eggs, chicks, and even adults. Modeling suggests extinction within 100 years without cat control (Pinet et al., 2009)
Habitat Modification: Urban expansion and invasive plants threaten nesting areas.
Climate Change: Shifts in oceanic conditions may reduce suitable wintering habitats by 11% by 2100 (Legrand et al., 2016)

Socio-Cultural Significance

Known locally as “taille-vent” or “fouquet,” the Barau Petrel is more than a bird - it’s a cultural emblem. Its eerie, plaintive cry once haunted Réunion’s nights, inspiring myths like that of “Grand-mère Kalle”, a legendary witch said to roam the mountains and manifest through the petrel’s calls.

Today, the species symbolizes ecological pride. Community-led rescue campaigns, such as “Nuits sans lumière” (Lights-Off Nights), uniting schools, associations, and municipalities to save the species. These events have become powerful moments of environmental awareness, reinforcing the bond between people and nature.

Conservation Efforts

The fight to save Barau’s Petrel is funded by the LIFE+ Pétrels program, a €3.1 million EU-funded initiative that brings together the Parc National de La Réunion, SEOR (Société d’Études Ornithologiques de La Réunion), and other partners. Actions include:

Predator control in breeding colonies.
Public awareness campaigns to reduce light pollution.
Scientific monitoring of nesting sites and migration routes.

Adult Barau’s Petrel (Pterodroma baraui) incubating egg in Grand Bénare colony (©Merlène Saunier)

References and further reading

BirdLife International, 2018. Species factsheet: Barau’s Petrel Pterodroma baraui [WWW Document]. BirdLife DataZone. URL https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/baraus-petrel-pterodroma-baraui (accessed 11.24.25).

Grand-mère Kalle : la légende de la terrifiante sorcière Grand-mère Kalle : la légende de la terrifiante sorcière [WWW Document], n.d. . Île de la Réunion Tourisme. URL https://www.reunion.fr/decouvrez/histoires-et-fables/la-legende-de-grand-mere-kalle/ (accessed 11.24.25).

Jouanin, C., Gill, F.B., 1967. Recherche du pétrel de Barau Pterodroma baraui. Oiseau Rev Fr Ornithol 37, 1–19.

Le Pétrel de Barau | Parc national de la Réunion [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.reunion-parcnational.fr/fr/des-connaissances/la-faune/la-faune-indigene/le-petrel-de-barau (accessed 11.24.25).

Legrand, B., Benneveau, A., Jaeger, A., Pinet, P., Potin, G., Jaquemet, S., Le Corre, M., 2016. Current wintering habitat of an endemic seabird of Réunion Island, Barau’s petrel Pterodroma baraui, and predicted changes induced by global warming. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 550, 235–248. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11710

Life + Pétrel | Parc national de la Réunion [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.reunion-parcnational.fr/fr/des-actions/proteger-et-gerer/les-projets-de-conservation/life-petrel (accessed 11.24.25).

LIFE 3.0 - LIFE Project Public Page [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project/LIFE13-BIO-FR-000075/halting-the-decline-of-endemic-petrels-from-reunion-island-demonstration-of-large-scale-innovative-conservation-actions (accessed 11.24.25).

Mayr, E., 1971. New species of birds described from 1956 to 1965. Journal für Ornithologie.

Nuits sans lumière 2025 : campagne de sauvetage des Pétrel de Barau | Mairie de Saint-Pierre [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.saintpierre.re/tous/nuits-sans-lumiere-2025-campagne-de-sauvetage-des-petrel-de-barau (accessed 11.24.25).

Pinet, P., Salamolard, M., Probst, J.-M., Russell, J.C., Jaquemet, S., Corre, M.L., 2009. Barau’s petrel (Pterodroma baraui): history, biology and conservation of an endangered endemic petrel.

Van Den Berg, A.B., Smeenk, C., Bosman, C.A.W., Haase, B.J.M., Van Der Niet, A.M., Cadée, G.C., 1991. Barau’s Petrel Pterodroma baraui, Jouanin’s Petrel Bulweria fallax and other seabirds in the northern Indian Ocean in June–July 1984 and 1985. Ardea 79, 1–14.

The Dodo: Extinction icon and mistaken identity

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

When Dutch sailors first landed on Mauritius in 1598, they encountered a peculiar flightless bird unlike anything in Europe. The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) had evolved in isolation, a ground-dwelling pigeon that had lost its ability to fly in the absence of predators (clostest living relative being the Nicobar pigeon). Within decades, this remarkable creature would vanish forever…

Copper engraving of Dutch activity on Mauritius in 1598 from Het Tvveede Boeck (1601)

Dead as a Dodo

The dodo’s extinction happened very rapidly, with the last sightings occurring between 1662 and 1680. This rapid decline and disappearance was driven by direct hunting and, more significantly, by the introduction of invasive species such as cats, dogs, pigs, and rats, which preyed on dodo nests and juveniles.

The Dodo and the Guinea Pig, George Edwards (1757)

The Great Chain of Being

The dodo needed to wait a century and a half before its extinction being recognized. In the days of naturalists like Cuvier and Buffon, the concept of extinction was religiously wrong. If God had created all of nature according to a divine plan at the beginning, it would seem irrational for him to let some parts of that creation being wiped out. “The Great Chain of Being” (scala naturae): life was fundamentally perfect and unchangeable. In other words, the concept of “extinction” was considered impossible…Species might move to unexplored regions, but they could not simply cease to exist. It was Georges Cuvier who, through meticulous comparative anatomy of elephants and mammoths fossils in the early 19th century, finally established extinction as scientific fact. Recognizing humanity’s role in driving species to extinction.

The Dodo that never was…

For over a century, scientists believed that a second species of dodo had lived on the nearby island of Réunion.

Reunion white dodo (Raphus solitarus), watercolour drawing by Pieter Holsteyn II (1614-1687), undated.

The confusion persisted for decades. This supposed “Réunion white dodo” was given various scientific names, including Raphus solitarius. Modern investigations by Arturo Valledor de Lozoya (2003) and Anthony Cheke and Julian Hume (2004) unraveled the mystery:

The paintings described a Mauritian dodo, not a Réunion species. Holsteyn’s and Withoos’s white dodo images were based on an earlier 1611 painting by Roelant Savery, which showed a whitish specimen from the Prague collection of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. This was likely a pale or albino individual of the Mauritian dodo (Raphus cucullatus).
The “solitaires” described historically were actually ibises. Subfossil discoveries in the 1970s revealed that the large white birds early explorers encountered on Réunion were not dodos but rather a species of flightless ibis (Threskiornis solitarius), now called the Réunion ibis (no specimens were brought to Europe alive or dead). This ibis was indeed white and flightless, matching the travelers’ descriptions, but it was an entirely different species.
Dodos never reached Réunion. Geological evidence shows that Mauritius is older than Réunion, and dodos had already become flightless before Réunion emerged from the sea. They could not have colonized the younger island.

References and further reading

De Lozoya, A.V., 2003. An unnoticed painting of a white dodo. Journal of the History of Collections 15, 201–210. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhc/15.2.201

Hume, J.P., 2006. The history of the Dodo Raphus cucullatus and the penguin of Mauritius. Historical Biology 18, 69–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912960600639400

Hume, J.P., Cheke, A.S., 2004. The white dodo of Réunion Island: unravelling a scientific and historical myth. Archives of Natural History 31, 57–79. https://doi.org/10.3366/anh.2004.31.1.57

Mauremootoo, J., Cheke, A., Watt, I., 2015. Mauritius & Rodrigues Historical Context. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.3372.6169

The dodo bird: The real facts about this icon of extinction | Natural History Museum [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/the-dodo-bird-the-real-facts-about-this-icon-of-extinction.html (accessed 11.22.25).

Turvey, S.T., Cheke, A.S., 2008. Dead as a dodo: the fortuitous rise to fame of an extinction icon. Historical Biology 20, 149–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912960802376199

Skomer Island: A Volunteer's Journey Into Seabirds Hidden Kingdom

Thu, 08 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Skomer Island is located off the Pembrokeshire coast of Wales, formed primarily of volcanic rock. Archaeological evidence indicates human settlements dating back to the Iron Age, though today it functions as a protected nature reserve managed by the Wildlife Trust of South Wales. The island’s geology—predominantly volcanic rock covered by thin, fertile soil—provides an optimal habitat for numerous species, particularly burrowing seabirds.

The Arrival

We arrived on Skomer on April 26th, 2025, as weekly volunteers. Our boat departed from Martin’s Haven on the mainland and landed at North Haven on Skomer Island. Weather conditions upon arrival included mist, which is relatively common in this maritime environment during spring.

North Haven embarkation point The team heading towards the farm on the first day The farm (staff accommodation)

The Team

Our operational team consisted of six weekly volunteers, two long-term volunteers, and four staff members. Daily tasks were systematically assigned, including walks and talks with visitors around the island, observation point staffing at the Wick with spotting scopes to facilitate species identification, and logistical support during boat arrivals (landing, binoculars renting). The Wick viewpoint

The Avian Fauna

Skomer’s ecological significance is particularly evident in its burrowing seabird populations. The island substrate is extensively tunneled, resembling a biological honeycomb structure. Two primary burrowing species inhabit these tunnels: approximately 360,000 pairs of Manx Shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus) and 43,000 Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica).

The Manx Shearwaters return to their burrows at night, vocally active with their distinctive calls . These vocalisations are characterised by a high-pitched, repetitive sound pattern that historically contributed to Skomer’s ancient designation as the “island of lost souls.” Overnight stays on Skomer provide valuable opportunities to observe these nocturnal avian activities, which are not accessible to day visitors.

Diurnal raptor species observable on the island include Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), and Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus). All avian observations (from any observers) were systematically recorded in the daily bird log at 8 pm. A comprehensive list of all the bird species that I identified is available in my eBird trip report.

Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) at the breeding grounds on Skomer Island ©Martin Reith Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) cleaning his burrow, photographed at the Wick by ©Nigel Blake. Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) photographed at the Wick by ©Nigel Blake.

The Experience

We were very lucky to have great weather during the week, with clear skies and temperatures reaching maximums of 25°C. The last days featured strong northerly winds, creating conditions unsuitable for boat landings. This resulted in a 24-hour extension of our stay, with a 48-hour period without any visitors (the island was ours!).

These days without visitors were an opportunity for infrastructure maintenance (painting, repairs & cleaning) and targeted monitoring. I participated in Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) monitoring. During this survey, I got the amazing luck of seeing an individual flying just above my head, calling and showing territorial behaviors (“wing-clapping”). The nest was not very far…

Acknowledgment

I would like to thank the entire team on the island: Ceris, Rob, Bob, Elana, Caroline & Becca. A special acknowledgement to Dai who helped me significantly improve my species identification during the stay. It was a wonderful team and I strongly believe that the experience would not have been the same without you all. Thank you Nigel Blake for the conversations and sharing amazing photos with me. The weekly volunteering team (Dai, Caroline, Becca, Bob, Me(Adrien), Elana)

Final Thoughts

I strongly encourage anyone who hasn’t been to Skomer to visit the island, or to apply for volunteering. There is something very captivating and emotional about this island, and I feel like my simple human brain could only capture a small proportion of what was going on there… I hope to come back very soon. Goodbye (for now), Skomer.

Skomer Island South coast Sunset view from the North coast of Skomer Island

Blog on Adrien Gelle

Barau’s Petrel: Reunion’s Endangered Seabird and Cultural Icon

Table of Contents

A Brief History

Range and Endemism

Conservation Status and Threats

Socio-Cultural Significance

Conservation Efforts

References and further reading

The Dodo: Extinction icon and mistaken identity

Table of Contents

Introduction

Dead as a Dodo

The Great Chain of Being

The Dodo that never was…

References and further reading

Skomer Island: A Volunteer's Journey Into Seabirds Hidden Kingdom

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Arrival

The Team

The Avian Fauna

The Experience

Acknowledgment

Final Thoughts