Ringgold Isles

Summary

The Ringgold Isles are an archipelago in Fiji, forming an outlier group to Vanua Levu. In 1840, Admiral Charles Wilkes named the Isles after Admiral Cadwalader Ringgold who at the time was a lieutenant serving under him during the United States exploring expedition. The Budd, Nukusemanu, and Heemskercq Reefs form part of the group. The group is mostly uninhabited, but Qelelevu has a small village. In 2008 Pacific rats were eradicated from seven islands of the group in an endeavour facilitated by BirdLife International's Fiji Programme.