South America and South Atlantic Islands

Ascension Island (British Overseas Territory)
Last reviewed: 28 July 2009

Country information

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GEOGRAPHY

Ascension lies 700 miles to the north west of St Helena. It is a rocky peak of volcanic origin with 44 distinct craters. The last eruption took place about 600 years ago. Ascension is an important breeding site for the green turtle and various species of sea bird, notably the Sooty Tern or Wideawake and the Frigate Bird. It has a fragile environment, which the Administrator is seeking to protect. As an example of this the British Government gave (in March 2001) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) £500,000, to rid Ascension Island of feral cats that had decimated the once huge seabird population, one of the world’s most important breeding colonies. By early 2003 four species of seabird had already re-colonised the mainland as breeding species and predation on the sooty tern population had been reduced to nil. Since the eradication of the feral cats the rat population is increasing, as are rabbits. Ascension Island Government has embarked on control programmes.