A palm species long feared to be on the brink of extinction has been rediscovered in the wild by a joint conservation team from the UK and the Comoro Islands, following a mission prompted by the upcoming renovation of Kew Gardens' historic Palm House.

Ravenea moorei, a Critically Endangered palm and a symbol of Comorian natural heritage, had not been seen in the wild for years.

Its absence raised concerns that the species might already be lost.

Kew's own specimen in the Palm House, over 11 metres tall and unable to be moved safely during restoration, is a male plant and cannot produce seed without a female counterpart, making the search for wild populations increasingly urgent.

Ravenea moorei in Kew's Palm House (credit: Will Spoelstra).

Field teams from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the National Herbarium of the University of Comoros and Karthala National Park carried out two expeditions across 2023 and 2024.

Their search led them to around 50 surviving palms, scattered across high-rainfall habitats on the western slopes of Mount Karthala, an active volcano on Ngazidja (Grande Comore).

Researchers reported that several of the sites showed clear signs of growing pressure from forest clearance for crops such as bananas and cassava, even within protected areas.

Professor Bill Baker, palm specialist at Kew, said the newly found population may represent the species' "last stand", warning that without action it could disappear within a decade.

Ravenea moorei at Mount Karthala in banana field (credit: William Baker).

The expeditions also confirmed alarming declines across all four palm species endemic to the Comoros.

Each was found to be either Endangered or Critically Endangered, threatened by deforestation, invasive species, development and climate change. Despite these pressures, all four species were confirmed to persist in the wild.

Local conservationists emphasised the importance of safeguarding the species as a unique part of Comorian biodiversity.

Park staff and researchers described the palms as central indicators of the health of tropical ecosystems.

The international team has now launched an action plan that includes:

• Protecting and restoring threatened habitats
• Expanding both in-situ and ex-situ conservation
• Conducting genetic research and improving propagation methods
• Increasing public awareness locally and internationally

Tree felled by large Ravenea moorei Mount Karthala (credit: William Baker).

Seeds collected during the expeditions are being propagated both at the Comoros National Herbarium nursery and at Kew Gardens.

Young palms are also being introduced into public planting schemes in Moroni, the Comorian capital, to promote awareness of the islands' unique flora.

Kew's Palm House, the only botanic garden collection where all four endemic Comoros palms are grown together, will continue to play a key role in safeguarding the species once renovation work is complete.

A documentary filmed during the 2024 mission has been released today (16 November) to raise wider awareness of the conservation effort.

The project has been supported by the UK's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the International Palm Society's "Save the Species" campaign.

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