Tetepare Island is home to some of Solomon Islands’ most unique marine and terrestrial animals. Over 80 bird species, 24 reptile, 6 frog and 16 mammal species have been recorded on Tetepare including several rare and endemic bird and bat species (Read and Moseby 2006, McCullough et al. 2022). Large populations of rare coconut crabs – the world’s largest land-dwelling crustacean – make their home in the forest fringing the sea. Megapode birds scratch and dig through the leaf little on the forest floor, while cuscus (Phalanger orientalis), and the enormous prehensile-tailed skink (Corucia zebrata) forage in the canopies above. Underwater, Tetepare is no less remarkable. Three species of marine turtles, including the critically endangered leatherback and hawksbill and the endangered green, nest on Tetepare’s volcanic black sand beaches. Dugongs graze in its sea grass beds and black-tipped reef sharks, crocodiles and a myriad fish species make the island’s reefs their home. Tetepare has received international recognition for its conservation and archaeological significance. Experts from around the world, including renowned ornithologist and author Jarrod Diamond, have commended the conservation work on the island.
The coral reefs of this Indo Pacific region support one of the highest diversities of fish and coral in the world. Schools of the large, rare bumpheaded parrot fish and found in the Marine Protected Area and green snail populations can still be found on Tetepare though they have disappeared from most of the Solomons.
Green turtles (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) nest frequently on the Qeuru, Tofa, Tirokofi, and Keife beaches of Tetepare’s coast.
Dugongs (Dugon dugong) and several species of dolphins are frequently seen in the coastal water surrounding Tetepare. Dugong, either singly or in small groups frequently enter the shallow lagoon areas to feed on sea grass, and numerous sightings have been made of mother and calf pairs. Dugongs can live up to 70 years and a threat to their survival is siltation of sea grass beds by logging and mining. Tetepare has protected its seagrass beds through the banning of commercial resource extraction. Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) are occasionally seen in Tetepare’s fresh water lakes and river mouths, and are infrequently seen in coastal waters.
Six species of frogs have been recorded on Tetepare, including the Solomon Islands eyelash frog (Cornufer guentheri), Giant Webbed Frog (C. guppyi), Solomon Islands Giant Treefrog (C. bedigeri), Solomon Ground Frog (C. solomonis), Treasury Island Treefrog (Litoria thesaurensis), and Elegant Sticky–Toed Frog (C. elegans) (Read and Moseby, 2006; Pikacha et al., 2008; McCullough et al. 2023). The most abundant frogs are the Solomon ground frogs which can be heard making their distinctive “Cree Cree” call at night around the ecolodge. The enormous Giant Webbed Frogs can reach over 15cm in length and are common in the river systems and upper watersheds, their abundance encouraged by the absence of invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) on the island. The Solomons’ largest tree frog, C guppyi, is abundant in Tetepare’s lowland forests, preferring palm forests with understories dominated by Alpinia pupurata and Heliconia species, and preferring areas of dense vegetation.
A freshwater fish expedition to Tetepare recorded 60 species, 46 genera, and 29 families. Of these, five were undescribed species endemic to the Solomon Islands (Schismatogbius sp., Sicyopterus sp., Stiphodon sp., Stenogobius sp., and an unknown Gobioid) (Jenkins and Boseto 2007). Of these five species that are endemic to the Solomon Islands, three of them have not been recorded anywhere but Tetepare (Sicyopterus sp., Stiphodon sp., and the unknown Gobioid). No invasive species were observed, but further study is needed both to clarify the taxonomic status of the species observed and to better understand the freshwater system.
There are at least 81 species of birds on Tetepare, ranging from kingfishers to pigeons and fruit doves, goshawks, frigate birds, parrots, cuckoos, swiftlets, fantails, monarchs, and starlings. More than 80 percent (or 62 species) of the birds on Tetepare are non-migratory land birds, compared to 76 species on the much larger Isabel Island. Most of the bird species on Tetepare are either found throughout the New Georgian Islands or are widespread through the Solomon Islands. However, the Tetepare White-eye (Zosterops rendovae tetiparius) is endemic to Tetepare and nearly every visitor to Tetepare will see and hear this beautiful bird found nowhere else in the world.
The Solomon Islands’ endemic sea eagle (Haliaeetus sanfordi) is present on Tetepare, with concentrations along the coast. As a species, this large sea eagle is considered “Vulnerable” by the IUCN, threatened by deforestation and hunting (BirdLife International 2008). Another vulnerable species, the yellow-legged pigeon Columba pallidiceps has also been recorded from Tetepare. Other rarely seen birds, such as the Crested Cuckoo dove, Reinwardtoena crassirostris, and the tiny Finch’s pygmy parrot, Micropsitta finschii, prefer Tetepare’s forest canopies to open areas or forest edges. The Solomon Islands nightjar nests on Tetepare Island.
Scientists have documented 33 taxa of butterflies on Tetepare. Sixteen mammal species have been recorded including the cuscus, Island tube-nosed bat, roundleaf bat, dwarf flying fox, blossom bat and the rare New Georgia Monkey Faced bat (Read and Moseby 2006, Gee 2003, McCullough et al. 2023). There is also a population of possibly undescribed horseshoe bats.
Reptiles are also abundant on Tetepare, and 25 species have been recorded (Read and Moseby 2006; McCollough et al. 2023). Skinks make up more than a quarter of all reptiles, including six Emoia species with E. schmidti being the most abundant. The widespread Pacific goanna Varanus indicus is the largest terrestrial lizard on the island, with the Solomon Islands’ prehensile tail skink Corucia zebrata being the largest arboreal skink in the world. The latter is endemic to the Solomon Islands and is distributed from Makira in the east to Bougainville in the west. On some islands, such as Guadalcanal, populations of C. zebrata are low, owing to logging and uncontrolled collection in the 1990s for the overseas pet trade. Consequently, protection of this skink on Tetepare is significant for the country. Also found on the island is the green-blooded skink, Prasinohaema virens, which is a forest dweller and has green blood, unlike most skinks, which have red blood (McCoy, 2006).