Freshwater Fauna Research

There is a need to ensure that the water is not overharvested from streams. This is because some of the animals in the streams are highly dependent on the continuous flow of water in order to migrate and breed.

“Freshwater fish such as gobies and eleotrids breed in streams and their larvae go to sea to become adults. The adults must travel up the stream to breed,” says Philip Keith of the Museum of Natural History in Paris.

Eels are the other way around and breed in the sea and migrate upstream to mature," he adds. Keith was in Rarotonga with two other freshwater fauna (animals) experts, Philippe Gerbeaux and Gerard Marquet. They were here to do an inventory of freshwater fauna. They will be taking samples of the fauna for genetic analysis in order to accurately classify the animals found in Rarotonga's streams. Perhaps appropriately, TIS met with the team from France on Bastille Day, 14th July 2010 at Le Bon Vivant cafe.