Goodbye to the Round Island hurricane palm—for now.

The last wild Round Island hurricane palm, Dictyosperma album var. conjugatum, met its end in a gusty September storm, snapping the final thread tethering this rare tree to its native soil. For decades, it stood alone on its windswept perch on Round Island, a 1.7-square-kilometer dot off the coast of Mauritius. With its pale blue fronds and regal crown, it was a monument to resilience in the face of extinction.

This solitary sentinel was once part of a thriving population, a defining feature of Round Island’s unique ecosystem. But the 19th century brought invasive rabbits and goats, devourers of saplings and heralds of erosion. By 1994, two individuals remained. Cyclone Hollanda claimed one that year, leaving the last to soldier on, unyielding yet isolated.

Its fall is a sobering reminder of the fragility of island ecosystems. Across the globe, nearly 40% of tree species face extinction, with island flora bearing the brunt of climate change’s fury. Stronger storms, rising seas, and dwindling biodiversity compound the threats. The loss of the Round Island hurricane palm reverberates beyond its species, affecting the geckos and insects it sheltered.

Yet, even in loss, there is hope. Seeds from the 1994 cyclone victim have borne fruit—literally—on Ile aux Aigrettes, a nearby coral islet where 18 hurricane palms now flourish under careful stewardship. Three have begun producing flowers and fruit, promising the genetic lifeline needed for future restoration.

Efforts to reintroduce the palm to its native Round Island are underway, albeit slowly. Hand-pollination teams labor to transfer pollen between scattered individuals, and ecologists explore ways to revive the island’s battered soil and ecology. It may take decades, but the dream persists: a restored canopy of hurricane palms swaying once again on Round Island, a testament to humanity’s capacity for redemption.

This is not just the story of a lost tree but a call to action. With perseverance and ingenuity, what was lost in the wild may yet be reborn… at least in this case.

📰 Last wild hurricane palm of its kind falls, marking extinction, by Shanna Hanbury