Above picture:  A Wandering Albatross on Marion Island; photograph by John Dickens

Birds on the Brink is a UK-based grant-awarding charity that supports bird conservation around the world.  Following an approach by the Mouse-Free Marion Project‘s Chief Philanthropy Officer, Heidi Whitman, the charity has made a grant of GBP 1000 (Rands 21 000) towards the eradication of Marion Island’s albatross-killing House Mice.

Birds on the Brink co-Founder and Trustee, Andrew Cleave MBE, has commented: “At Birds on the Brink we are all-too aware of the havoc wreaked when terrestrial mammals are introduced to seabird islands that should otherwise be free of terrestrial mammals.  We have seen first-hand the impact all around the globe, including on Bermuda, where cats and rats were among the factors that brought the Cahow (Bermuda Petrel) perilously close to the brink of extinction; and New Zealand’s Chatham Islands where Chatham and Magenta Petrels narrowly escaped extinction at the jaws of mammalian threats ranging from cats, rat species, pigs and possums.  Closer to home, there’s the UK island of Lundy from which two species of rat have been eradicated, and seabird numbers have rebounded almost exponentially.  Marion Island is on a much grander scale and is one of the most important seabird islands on the planet.  But what projects large and small have in common is a committed band of dedicated enthusiasts and a need for funding.  Birds on the Brink is thrilled to help with a donation. In the grand scheme of things our contribution may just be a drop in the ocean, but in financial terms every little helps.  And we hope that by spreading the message others will dig into their pockets and help too.  We wish the Mouse-Free Marion Project every success.”

Birds on the Brink aims to support causes with small grants that will do the most measurable good.  It works in partnership with Bird Photographer of the Year and receives funds and support for its conservation work from the international competition.  Both organisations share the aim of inspiring people to care about the environment through the use of stunning, world class imagery.

The Mouse-Free Marion Project is most grateful for the donation received from the Birds on the Brink charity.  Read more here.

John Cooper, News Correspondent & Member, Scientific and Technical Advisory Group, Mouse-Free Marion Project, 06 January 2022