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Samoa is part of the Polynesia-Micronesia Biodiversity Hotspot, one of 34 regions of the world where extraordinary levels of biodiversity and endemism are coupled with extremely high levels of threat (Mittermeier et al. 2004). The four Aleipata islands (Photo 1), holding a high percentage of representative and threatened species of Samoa, certainly represent a key site in the Polynesia-Micronesia biodiversity hotspot. In a 1986 review of 226 islands in the South Pacific region, these islands together rated 30th in importance for biological diversity (Vanderwoude et al. 2006). They were also more recently included in the list of the 7 Key Biodiversity Areas of Samoa (Conservation International et al. 2010).

Between the 27th and 29th of October 2015 invasive alien species surveys were conducted as part of the GEF-PAS invasive alien species project/Samoa to help inform the Aleipata management Plan. As part of these surveys sticky traps were placed on Nu’ulua Island to detect the presence of Rattus sp. The sticky traps were checked after two nights with no evidence of rat presence. These sticky traps were left for a further 50 nights to increase the chances of detecting rat. As part of this return trip to Nu’ulua Island an incidental bird list was compiled and other species of interest (i.e. Yellow Crazy Ants and Coconut Crabs), were recorded when encountered.