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| Butterfly fish |
Why Palmyra Atoll?
Its pristine waters harbor five times as many coral species as the Florida Keys, and its shores offer one of the few nesting areas for seabirds within 450,000 square miles. Palmyra's islets offer an untouched sanctuary to many rare and endangered species.
Threats
At one time, Palmyra was proposed to become a nuclear waste dump. In 2000, the Fullard-Leo family agreed to sell Palmyra to The Nature Conservancy. The family had received many offers from developers who sought to use the atoll as a repository for spent nuclear fuel or for a casino. The atoll had also been eyed as a site for a massive fishing and processing operation. To preserve Palmyra's biological diversity, The Nature Conservancy bought the atoll for $37 million, including endowment and infrastructure costs.
Conservation
To preserve Palmyra’s pristine state, The Nature Conservancy is creating a management plan for the atoll. Priorities include:
- protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat
- determining how best to manage public access to the atoll
Protection
In January 2001, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service extended further protection, when it designated the coral reef habitat surrounding Palmyra Atoll a National Wildlife Refuge. More...
How You Can Help
Many Nature Conservancy members have made donations to help repay the loans that enabled the purchase and to secure Palmyra's long-term protection. Still, millions more must be raised. You can help the Conservancy meet the costs of protecting this tropical wilderness by making an online donation!
