Rhinoceros Beetle rapid damage assessment and remedial actions implemented – Taveuni

A Rapid Damage Assessment (RDA) of coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) (CRB) damage to coconut palms on the island of Taveuni, Fiji, was conducted in January 2017. Digital photographs, logged with GPS, were taken from the main roads and tracks through coconut growing areas of Taveuni and subsequently sorted into categories of damage (Zero, Low, Medium and High). Thirty-five percent of images showed palms with medium or high levels of damage. Damage was mapped using GPS tags and Picasa 3 software. Analysis showed that evidence of damage was distributed throughout the island, but medium and high damage occurred principally in zones in the North, South West and South of the island. The survey provided a baseline for the level of damage on Taveuni to identify areas to focus remediation activities and monitor changes to protect emerging coconut industries.