Nature in Nauru

Nauru covers about 21 km² and consists of a narrow coastal plain, an escarpment and a limestone-phosphate plateau altered by extensive mining. The plateau reaches roughly 65 to 71 metres, depending on the source. The local terms topside and bottomside describe the mined plateau and the more densely settled coastal strip. Buada Lagoon is the main significant inland water body; other brackish ponds and sinkholes also occur. Coastal habitats include vegetation, intertidal flats, a fringing coral reef, reef slopes and the offshore open-water zone. Nauru’s exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, covers about 320,000 km². The island has about 36 native bird species and 63 indigenous plant species, with no endemic plants identified in the current synthesis. The Nauru reed warbler, also called the Nauru canary or Acrocephalus rehsei, is endemic to Nauru and remains common across much of the island except recently mined areas. Micronesian pigeons have very small populations, while noddies can be hunted faster than they reproduce. Marine biodiversity is estimated at 300 to 500 finfish species. Seven hard-coral species have been documented, with Porites rus dominant and Acropora uncommon. Pocillopora fungiformis is classified as Endangered and has EDGE conservation significance. Giant clams, including Tridacna maxima and Tridacna squamosa, are protected; Tridacna maxima has been rediscovered locally. Green turtles have been reported nesting on Nauru. Reef gleaning, inshore fishing and pond use support food security and subsistence. Offshore tuna fishing uses the EEZ, and aquaculture includes milkfish, Chanos chanos. Inshore zones 1 to 3 are heavily used. Local nature recreation mainly takes place along the coast, on reefs and around Buada Lagoon, but no formal park infrastructure is recorded. Community fisheries management areas can provide a functional local management approach, but they are not equivalent to legally established protected areas. The Protected and Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures database recorded 0 km² of terrestrial protected areas, 0 km² of marine protected areas and no international designations for Nauru on 9 March 2026. Historical targets proposed protection of 5% of terrestrial territory, about 105 hectares, and 22% of coastal waters, about 34,137 hectares, by 2025; current evidence does not show that these targets were achieved. Anibare Bay and other locations have been proposed or included in community mapping, but proposals do not create formal protected status. The Department of Environment, Management and Agriculture handles environmental matters. The Department of Climate Change and National Resilience covers climate and resilience, the Nauru Fisheries and Marine Resources Authority manages coastal and marine fisheries, and the Nauru Rehabilitation Corporation supports RONPhos with mined-land rehabilitation. The Environmental Management and Climate Change Act 2020 applies a precautionary approach and covers biodiversity, environmental impact assessment, pollution, waste, genetic-resource access and benefit-sharing, public education and monitoring. A substantial-development assessment includes environmental-management, pollution-control and waste-management plans. The applicant initiates the assessment; the responsible committee can take up to three months to decide, followed by a notice period of 14 days. The Act also provides for a State of Environment report at least every five years. The Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 2020 and its regulations restrict activities that damage coastal ecosystems. Removing coral, rock or rubble requires authorization, and waste must not be discharged into coastal fisheries waters. Sea turtles and their eggs are protected, giant clams must not be removed or sold, and commercial sea-cucumber exports are prohibited. Fishing nets, mesh sizes, fish sizes and quotas are regulated. The 2026 regulations were notified on 30 January 2026 and are scheduled to take effect on 30 January 2027. The stated fixed penalty is $100, the general maximum fine is $5,000, and a penalty is payable within 14 days. The amount of a non-Nauruan coastal fishing licence fee is not established in the available evidence, and registered traditional rights must be respected. Phosphate mining has caused sediment movement, soil loss and reduced reef productivity and diversity. Sewage, septic systems and waste can affect the sea, groundwater and Buada Lagoon. Invasive weeds, fruit flies, rats and other pests threaten native ecosystems, while overfishing and overhunting reduce wildlife stocks. Droughts lasting up to 36 months can lower the freshwater lens and increase salinity. Sea-level rise, extreme sea levels, coastal flooding, saltwater intrusion, marine heatwaves, coral bleaching and ocean acidification add further pressure. A major coral-bleaching event and mass fish kills were documented in 2003. Tropical cyclones were not recorded in the sources through 2014, although strong winds and sea squalls occur. The Nauru Rehabilitation Corporation’s work with RONPhos provides a functional response for degraded mined plateau land, but it is not a direct equivalent of restoring an intact inland ecosystem. Higher-ground redevelopment also has implications for climate resilience and settlement planning. BIORAP 2015 trained community members and government staff, and DEMA, DCCNR and NRG held a biodiversity school event in 2024. Continued reef, species, groundwater, invasive-species and waste monitoring is needed to support environmental decisions and community management.