Ravenea moorei - found in the wild, but struggling

[Bill Baker (Kew)]

I’m just back from a 2-week reconnaissance mission to the Comoro Islands with a team of colleagues from Kew and Comorian institutions. We’ve been hunting down populations of the Critically Endangered Ravenea moorei, a massive and spectacular canopy palm cultivated only in the Palm House at Kew and scarcely known in the wild. I am extremely excited to announce that we found it!

Ravenea moorei is clinging on in the wild in Grande Comore but faces great dangers as its habitat is transformed by farming, wood cutting and invasive weeds such as strawberry guava. We found just 12 adults in total. Further work is desperately needed to gain a clear picture of the situation and to put conservation actions in place.

We are deeply grateful that the International Palm Society has chosen Ravenea moorei as the focus of its 2023 Save The Species campaign. Want to know how you can help? Please follow this link to find out more…

https://palms.org/2023-save-the-species/

[Tyrone]

Thank goodness you found some Bill. Is there going to be some sort of insitu cultivation of seedlings taking place to bolster the population there? 
The area does look lush but has been disturbed by human activity.

The strawberry guava seems to have invaded much of that part of the world then. I remember it being everywhere in Mauritius and to a lesser degree in Reunion island. 

Good job, and maybe we can jam the brakes on the descent of Ravenea moorei into extinction and going the same way as the Dodo. 

[Cindy Adair]

Thank you so much Bill for the exciting update, beautiful photos and all your efforts! 

[ASHCVS]

I hope that all of us Palmtalkers support Bill in this incredibly important endeavor!

[happypalms]

The planet needs more people such as yourself bill if we all do something together it makes a huge difference for the environment great work adventures of a lifetime and the grandkids will have some amazing photos and stories to tell in the future keep the great work 

[Scott Zona]

This is fantastic, Bill! Thanks for the report and the lovely photos.