1. Nola Talaepa and Moeumu Uili National University of Samoa

3. Plants - 500 species of nature flowering plants - 220 species of ferns - 25% of the plants are endemic to Samoa - 500 or so species of plants been introduced - Today, half of the plants are exotic

4. Mammals Terrestial: 13 species - 3 are native: 2 flying foxes- Samoan Flying fox, Tongan or White necked Flying fox, small insectivorous bat – Sheath-tailed bat. - introduced species: * Polynesian rat ( Rattus exulans ) * Pigs and dogs * cattle, horses, goats, cats * 2 more species of rats ( R. norvegicus and R. rattus ) * house mouse

5. - 14 were recorded as “ rare or endangered” Reptiles - 2 species of turtle: green turtle and the hawksbill Marine: 991 species - 890 inhabit shallow water or reefs - 56 in deeper water - 45 are pelagic

6. Marine: - several whale species - 1 dolphin: spinner dolphin - Humpback whale and Sperm whale believed to bred here Birds - 35 species land birds - 21 sea and shore birds (8 of the land birds are endemic) (4 introduced species)

7. WHY SO SERIOUS? The effects of alien invasive species on biodiversity have been described as ‘immense, insidious and usually irreversible’ (IUCN, 2000)

16. Benefit species: Friendly ground dove Tooth-billed pigeon Seabirds Land snails Lizards Forest flora