The National Environment Service attended the 4th World Seabird Conference in Hobart, Tasmania, from 7–11 September 2026, supported through GEF 7 – Project ENUA. The conference brought together 670 delegates from 51 countries under the theme Wings of Adaptation: Seabirds in a Changing Climate.
A strong takeaway from the conference was the wider ecological value of seabirds. Several presentations showed that seabirds transfer marine nutrients onto islands, supporting terrestrial productivity and, in some cases, adjacent coastal and reef ecosystems. This reinforced the importance of linking seabird monitoring with predator control, habitat restoration and broader island management.
Presentations also covered acoustic monitoring, drones, cameras, AI and data management. No single tool or software package was promoted as the preferred option, as these technologies are advancing quickly. The emphasis was on identifying the monitoring need first, then selecting the most suitable tool. For NES, future opportunities include researching the purchase of a small number of acoustic recorders for targeted work on species such as the Kopeka and the elusive nocturnal Mo‘omo‘o (Spotless Crake).
One Pacific presentation on restoring coconut-dominated landscapes to native forest was particularly useful and may help inform future Cook Islands research, subject to careful site assessment and community consultation.
A particularly positive aspect of WSC4 was the willingness of presenters to share their knowledge. Across the conference, researchers offered access to methods, open-source tools, databases, protocols and other resources, and many encouraged participants to contact them for further advice.
The knowledge and connections gained will help guide practical follow-up work in the Cook Islands.
