Vatthe Conservation Area

Vatthe Conservation Area stretches along the coast and 4km inland between the Jordan River in the middle of Big Bay, to the Matantas River in the south eastern corner of Big Bay, on the Island of Espiritu Santo.

It is estimated to be about 3,700ha, and is possibly the largest intact lowland alluvial forest remaining on a tropical island in the South Pacific. The forests represent a mosaic of past cultural and cyclonic disturbances, some of it may have been gardened at some stage during the last 4000 years. Many important fruit and nut trees may have been introduced from Asia and elsewhere in the Pacific. Today the main canopy species are the tall Antiaris toxicaria, and the flying buttressed Drancontomelon vitiense, with Castanospermum australe, Pterocarpus indicus, Intsia bijuga and Garuga floribunda.

Vatthe is home to some 44 species of birds, including 4 of Vanuatu's 6 endemic species. The Vanuatu flycatcher, (Neolalage banksiana) Vanuatu's only endemic genus is very common, as is the endemic white eye (Zosterops flavifrons), megapode, (Megapodius freycinet), and Vanuatu fruit dove, (Ptilinopus tannensis). Vanuatu's endemic chestnut bellied king fisher (Halcyon farquhari) can also be found although it seems to be rather secretive.

Introduced Indian myna, Blackheaded manninken and red jungle fowls are also common.

Four bat species are known to occur at Vatthe, including one of Vanuatu's endemic fruit bats, (Pteropus anetianus), as well as the Pacific flying fox, (Pteropus tonganus). Two small bats, the Leaf nosed bat (Hipposideros cervinus) and the Trident-horseshoe bat, (Aselliscus tricuspidatus) have been found. No doubt more study would reveal further species. Vanuatu has eleven species of bats, seven of which have been recorded from the island of Santo.

Three species of gecko were found at Vatthe, Gehyra oceanica, Lepidodactylus lugubris, and Nactus spp. Seven species of skink are known from Vatthe, Emoia impar, E. caeruleocauda, E. cyanura, E cyanogaster and the spectacular fat green Vanuatu endemic E. sanfordi. The Vanuatu endemic black-barred skink, E nigromarginata was also present. The moth skink, Lipinnia noctua were plentiful.

Conservation Problems

One of the greatest ongoing threats to the Vatthe forests is the large leafed vine, known as 'big leaf' Merrimia pelentata, which can smother the ground and damaged canopy trees, preventing natural regeneration and causing the slow decay and death of canopy trees. Big leaf becomes prevalent in areas opened up through cyclone damage. Lantanna is also present in the open grassy areas, however it does not appear to be spreading into the dark forest.

Introduced pigs, Giant African land snail, 3 species of rats, wild cats, wild dogs, and wild bullocks are all prevalent. The impacts of these pests are unknown.