The Overseas Territories (OTs) of the United Kingdom have long
been acknowledged as being rich in biodiversity. With the exception
of the British Antarctic Territory and Gibraltar, they are all
islands, small in size and isolated to varying degrees. These
attributes, combined with their geographic location, have often
resulted in a high degree of endemism. Equally, the territories are
often host to significant populations of breeding birds or marine
turtles, and have rich terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Yet, many
of these species and habitats are threatened. This report provides
a profile of the biodiversity of the United Kingdom's Overseas
Territories as a contribution to the development of plans for their
conservation and sustainable use.