Editing Christmas Island (section)

==Flora and fauna==
{{main|Wildlife of Christmas Island}}
{{See also|List of birds of Christmas Island|List of mammals of Christmas Island|List of reptiles of Christmas Island}}
[[File:Cococrb2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Coconut crab|Robber crab (coconut crab)]]]]
[[File:Christmas Island (5775069028).jpg|thumb|[[Christmas Island red crab]]]]
[[File:Red-footed booby.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Red-footed booby|Red-footed boobies]]]]
[[File:Anous stolidus nesting cropped.JPG|thumb|[[Common noddy]]]]
[[File:Brown booby.jpg|thumb|[[Brown booby]]]]

Christmas Island was uninhabited until the late 19th century, allowing many species to evolve without human interference. Two-thirds of the island has been declared a [[National Park]], which is managed by the Australian Department of Environment and Heritage through Parks Australia. Christmas Island contains unique species, both of flora and fauna, some of which are threatened or have become extinct.

===Flora===
The dense [[rainforest]] has grown in the deep soils of the [[plateau]] and on the terraces. The forests are dominated by 25 tree species. Ferns, orchids and vines grow on the branches in the humid atmosphere beneath the [[canopy (biology)|canopy]]. The 135 plant species include at least 18 [[Endemism|endemic species]]. The rainforest is in great condition despite the mining activities over the last 100 years. Areas that have been damaged by mining are now a part of an ongoing rehabilitation project.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Essential Christmas Island Travel Guide|last=Tierney|first=Beth|publisher=Christmas Island Tourism Association|year=2007}}</ref>

Christmas Island's endemic plants include the trees ''[[Arenga listeri]]'', ''[[Pandanus elatus]]'' and ''[[Dendrocnide peltata]]'' var. ''murrayana''; the [[shrub]]s ''[[Abutilon listeri]]'', ''[[Colubrina pedunculata]]'', ''[[Grewia insularis]]'' and ''[[Pandanus christmatensis]]''; the vines ''[[Hoya aldrichii]]'' and ''[[Zehneria alba]]''; the [[herbaceous plant|herb]]s ''[[Asystasia alba]]'', ''[[Dicliptera maclearii]]'' and ''[[Peperomia rossii]]''; the grass ''[[Ischaemum nativitatis]]''; the fern ''[[Asplenium listeri]]''; and the orchids ''[[Brachypeza archytas]]'', ''[[Flickingeria nativitatis]]'', ''[[Phreatia listeri]]'' and ''[[Zeuxine exilis]]''.<ref>Christmas Island National Park: Flora.</ref>

===Fauna===
Two species of native rats, the [[Maclear's rat|Maclear's]] and [[bulldog rat]]s, have become extinct since the island was settled, while the [[Javan rusa]] deer has been introduced. The endemic [[Christmas Island shrew]] has not been seen since the mid-1980s and may be extinct, while the [[Christmas Island pipistrelle]] (a small bat) is presumed to be extinct.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://environment.gov.au/parks/index.html |title=Parks Australia |access-date=3 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912013529/http://environment.gov.au/parks/index.html |archive-date=12 September 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The fruit bat (flying fox) species ''[[Pteropus natalis]]'' is only found on Christmas Island; its epithet ''natalis'' is a reference to that name. The species is probably the last native mammal, and an important pollinator and rainforest seed-disperser; the population is also in decline and under increasing pressure from land clearing and introduced pest species. The flying fox's low rate of reproduction (one pup each year) and high infant mortality rate makes it especially vulnerable, and its conservation status is [[critically endangered]].<ref name="SPRAT2014">{{cite web |title=Pteropus natalis – Christmas Island Flying-fox, Christmas Island Fruit-bat |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=64801 |website=Species Profile and Threats Database |access-date=24 December 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707234104/http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=64801 |archive-date=7 July 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Flying foxes are an 'umbrella' species helping forests regenerate and other species survive in stressed environments.

The [[land crab]]s and [[seabird]]s are the most noticeable fauna on the island. Christmas Island has been identified by [[BirdLife International]] as both an [[Endemic Bird Area]] and an [[Important Bird Area]] because it supports five endemic species and five subspecies as well as over 1% the world populations of five other seabirds.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=BirdLife International |year=2011 |title=Important Bird Areas factsheet: Christmas Island |website=www.birdlife.org |url=http://www.birdlife.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011128211428/http://www.birdlife.org/ |archive-date=28 November 2001 |access-date=23 December 2011}}</ref>

Twenty terrestrial and intertidal species of crab have been described here, of which thirteen are regarded as true land crabs, being dependent on the ocean only for larval development. Robber crabs, known elsewhere as [[coconut crab]]s, also exist in large numbers on the island. The annual [[Christmas Island red crab|red crab]] mass migration to the sea to spawn has been called one of the wonders of the natural world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/dimensions/externalterr/christma.htm |title=Geoscience Australia on Christmas Island |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205053513/http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/dimensions/externalterr/christma.htm |archive-date=5 February 2007 }}</ref> This takes place each year around November – after the start of the [[wet season]] and in synchronisation with the cycle of the [[moon]]. Once at the ocean, the mothers release the embryos where they can survive and grow until they are able to live on land.

The island is a focal point for seabirds of various species. Eight species or [[subspecies]] of seabirds nest on it. The most numerous is the [[red-footed booby]], which nests in colonies, using trees on many parts of the shore terrace. The widespread [[brown booby]] nests on the ground near the edge of the seacliff and inland cliffs. [[Abbott's booby]] (listed as [[endangered]]) nests on tall emergent trees of the western, northern and southern plateau rainforest, the only remaining nesting habitat for this bird in the world.

Of the ten native land birds and shorebirds, seven are endemic species or subspecies. This includes the [[Christmas thrush]] and the [[Christmas imperial pigeon]]. Some 86 migrant bird species have been recorded as visitors to the island. The [[Christmas frigatebird]] has nesting areas on the northeastern shore terraces. The more widespread [[great frigatebird]]s nest in semi-[[deciduous]] trees on the shore terrace, with the greatest concentrations being in the North West and South Point areas. The [[common noddy]] and two species of bosun or [[tropicbird]]s also nest on the island, including the [[Golden Bosun|golden bosun]] (''P. l. fulvus''), a subspecies of the white-tailed tropicbird that is endemic to the island.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Phaethon lepturus fulvus — Christmas Island White-tailed Tropicbird, Golden Bosunbird|url=https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=26021|url-status=live|website=Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708004303/http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=26021 |archive-date=8 July 2017 }}</ref>

Six species of butterfly are known to occur on Christmas Island. These are the Christmas swallowtail (''[[Papilio memnon]]''), striped albatross (''[[Appias olferna]]''), Christmas emperor (''[[Polyura andrewsi]]''), king cerulean (''[[Jamides bochus]]''), lesser grass-blue (''[[Zizina otis]]''), and Papuan grass-yellow (''[[Eurema blanda]]'').<ref name="butterflies">{{cite book|last=Braby|first=Michael F.|title=The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia|url=https://archive.org/details/The_Complete_Field_Guide_to_Butterflies_of_Australia|year=2008|publisher=CSIRO Publishing|isbn=978-0-643-09027-9}}</ref>

Insect species include the [[yellow crazy ant]] (''Anoplolepis gracilipes''), introduced to the island and since subjected to attempts to destroy the [[supercolony|supercolonies]] that emerged with aerial spraying of the insecticide [[Fipronil]].<ref name="EWG2010">{{cite web |last1=Beeton |first1=Bob |last2=Burbidge |first2=Andrew |title=Final report: Christmas Island Expert Working Group |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/final-report-christmas-island-expert-working-group |website=National Parks |publisher=Department of the Environment and Energy |access-date=24 December 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224170540/http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/final-report-christmas-island-expert-working-group |archive-date=24 December 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>