Supporting Atlantic Territories Invertebrate Conservation is an ambitious Buglife project that looks to support and strengthen invertebrate conservation in the UK’s Overseas Territories (UKOT).

Quick Facts:

Name of project: Supporting Atlantic Territories Invertebrate Conservation
Duration of project: April 2024-March 2027
Location of project: Bermuda, Falkland Islands, Anguilla, Ascension
Species benefitting from project: Giant Pseudoscorpion (Garypus titanius), Jacqui’s Pseudoscorpion (Garypus ellickae), Ascension Sac Spider (Hibana ascensionensis), Ascension Mesh-Web Spider (Thallumetus ascensionensis), and Vicky’s Ground Spider (Australoechemus vickyae) and many more, including those yet to be discovered.
Project funded by: Darwin Plus
Project Partners: Anguilla National Trust, Government of Anguilla, Ascension Island Government Conservation & Fisheries Directorate, Bermuda National Trust, Government of Bermuda, Falkland Islands Conservation, Falkland Islands Government, and Species Recovery Trust

What will the project do?

Supporting Atlantic Territories Invertebrate Conservation will help to conserve invertebrate biodiversity by identifying key sites for endemic and native species across Bermuda, the Falkland Islands, Anguilla, and Ascension. This project will gather spatial data to highlight Important Invertebrate Areas and, coupled with information on the threats from invasive invertebrate species, will focus conservation and restoration efforts of the island’s native ecosystems.

There is still a lot to learn about invertebrates across Bermuda, the Falkland Islands, Anguilla, and Ascension. Through this project we hope to gather as much information as possible about their ecology and distribution in the Territories and create a database that can be used by professionals. Some examples of species that will benefit from this project include the Giant Pseudoscorpion (Garypus titanius), Jacqui’s Pseudoscorpion (Garypus ellickae), Ascension Sac Spider (Hibana ascensionensis), Ascension Mesh-web Spider (Thallumetus ascensionensis), and Vicky’s Ground Spider (Australoechemus vickyae). Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this project, however, is the opportunity to discover many more species ‘new to science’!

Jacqui’s Pseudoscorpion (Garypus ellickae) © Adam Sharp

Throughout the project, we will work closely with local professionals on the UKOTs to increase their knowledge on endemic and native invertebrates and their roles within ecosystems. We hope that this project will help to enable UKOT partners to undertake invertebrate research and surveying to support policy application for better protection of invertebrates in the Territories.

How can you get involved?

If you live and/or work in the project areas and would like to know more about this project and how you can get involved, please contact Senior Conservation Officer, Danni Sherwood at [email protected].