Palm House renovation prompts rescue of near-extinct palms in the Comoro Islands

[16 November 2025] A rare palm feared to be approaching extinction in the wild has been found in the Comoro Islands by a conservation team from the UK and Comoro Islands following a conservation mission triggered by the upcoming renovation of Kew’s iconic Palm House in London. Ravenea moorei, a Critically Endangered palm species and a symbol of the Comoro Islands natural heritage, was found clinging to survival after years of no news of the species prompted fears of extinction.

The Palm House is currently showing serious signs of deterioration, having last undergone a renovation in the 1980s. Without urgent work the listed building and tropical plants protected within are at risk of being lost forever. While many of the collections will be containerised, propagated and stored in other glasshouses during the renovation some, such as the Ravenea moorei which reaches over 11m, are not suitable for relocating due to their sheer size. In addition, palms cannot be propagated via cuttings, and Kew’s Ravenea moorei specimen is male and cannot produce seed without a female. Together, these factors present a significant threat to the last remaining Ravenea moorei in cultivation and an urgent need for additional data on wild populations. 

During 2023 and 2024, an international conservation team made up of Kew scientists and horticulturists, alongside experts from the National Herbarium of Comoros University and Karthala National Park (KNP) undertook two expeditions to try to locate a wild population of Ravenea moorei in the Comoro Islands.

Andilyat Mohammed Abderrahmane, Research Leader at the University of Comoros said, ‘If a population of this species were to be discovered it would be great news not only for Karthala National Park but also for the country. It would shed light on the palm’s habitat and ecology, areas where information is currently lacking. It would also enable the development of a conservation model that could be replicated in the conservation of other species.’ 

To their excitement, a surviving wild population of approximately 50 individuals was found, scattered in the highest rainfall areas on the west side of Mount Karthala, an active volcano that dominates Ngazidja Island (Grande Comore). However, between visits the increased human pressures on these habitats was evident. The spread of forest clearance for crops such as banana and cassava cultivation now cut deep into one of the larger populations of palms that was found, despite it being inside a protected area. 

“We are quite possibly witnessing the last stand of Ravenea moorei in the wild,” said Prof. Bill Baker, leading palm expert at Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. “If we don’t act now, this species could be lost within a decade.”

The international conservation team has revealed an alarming decline in the distribution of native Comorian palms. As in almost all tropical forests, palms are an important indicator of ecosystem health and keystone species, acting as ecosystem engineers and providing numerous services to wildlife. But in the Comoros all species are seriously threatened. After two intensive field missions, hiking over 500m of elevation each day in hot and humid conditions, researchers confirmed all four of the islands’ endemic palm species are still found to be growing in the wild but are either Endangered or Critically Endangered, facing threats from deforestation, invasive species, construction and climate change.

Ms. Rahamata Ahamada, Curator of Karthala National Park, explains: “This palm tree is our heritage, unique in the world. It is imperative to protect it to prevent its disappearance”.

Palms of the Comoros
All four palm species endemic to the Comoros are now believed to be either Critically Endangered or Endangered, including:

• Ravenea moorei (IUCN Red List Assessment: Critically Endangered)
• Ravenea hildebrandtii (IUCN Red List Assessment: Endangered)
• Chrysalidocarpus lanceolatus (IUCN Red List Assessment: Vulnerable, but likely Endangered based on new information from this fieldwork)
• Chrysalidocarpus cabadae – newly documented in the wild in the central south-west of Ngazidja. (Not yet formally assessed for the IUCN Red List but likely to be rated as Critically Endangered)

“These palms aren’t just botanical rarities,” said Dr. Andilyat Mohamed, “they are symbols of our natural heritage—and now symbols of resilience.”

Conservation Underway
Following these expeditions, RBG Kew, KNP and the University of the Comoros have launched an urgent action plan to safeguard these palms:

• Habitat protection and restoration
• In-situ and ex-situ conservation efforts
• Genetic research and palm propagation
• Public education and global collaboration

Seeds have been collected for propagation in Comoros National Herbarium nurseries (created after the first Kew mission in 2023) and in Kew Gardens, where they will be grown for further research and distribution to expand ex-situ conservation efforts. The National Herbarium of the University of Comoros is also propagating young palms for experimental planting in the Comorian capital, Moroni, to draw attention to the natural heritage of the islands. Training courses conducted with Kew and Comorian experts during the second field visit shared palm monitoring and propagation techniques, building local knowledge amongst communities and park rangers. It is hoped longer-term outcomes will see the conservation plan being scaled up, resulting in enrichment planting within the forests themselves.

All four endemic Comoros palm species are grown in the Palm House at Kew Gardens, the only botanic or private garden in the world where these palms are cultivated together. Young plants donated by the Comorian partners are now establishing well at Kew and will be replanted in the Palm House following the renovation and shared with other botanic gardens. This highlights the vital role of the Palm House in holding precious ex situ conservation collections, informing the public of this work, providing visitors with access to tropical plants, inspiring action and instilling a lifelong care for nature.

A documentary film about the project, shot on location during the 2024 mission, will be released on 16 November 2025 to raise global awareness of palm conservation.

Global Support
The missions in the Comoro Islands were funded 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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For more information or interviews, contact PR@kew.org

Images: https://we.tl/t-2VgMDnPmpm 

Film: https://youtu.be/jPy45YUNfxg

Report: Diversity and Conservation of Comoro Island Palms: Mission Report 2023 & 2024

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew would like to thank the University of the Comoros, Karthala National Park (KNP) and Yahaya Ibrahim (Centre National de Documentation et de Recherche Scientifique, CNDRS) for their collaboration and support in this work.