João da Nova had discovered Ascension during his trip to India in 1501; on his return voyage to Portugal in 1502, he discovered Saint Helena. As with Ascension, Portugal made no effort to claim or hold the island. The British East India Company began using the island as a regular port of call for ships sailing the Cape Route.
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Charadrius sanctaehelenae - Saint Helena plovers are in danger of becoming extinct. Current population numbers suggest less than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild. The primary obstacles include the alteration of the natural landscape and the introduction of non-native species: cats, myna birds, rabbits, and rats. The Saint Helena plover normally produces two eggs per clutch and is capable of laying more than one clutch during each season, but it subjects the eggs and chicks to extreme danger by nesting on the ground.
