The species is nonetheless evaluated as Endangered by the IUCN because the population is expected to undergo a rapid decline if the brown tree snake becomes established on Saipan. The primary threat to this species is the brown tree snake, a native of Australia, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, which eliminated all 12 landbird species on nearby Guam after being accidentally introduced. The snake has not yet become established on Saipan, one of the two islands that compose the range of the golden white-eye, and which holds the largest population of the species. The isolation of Aguijan makes the introduction of brown tree snakes there unlikely, but the small population there is vulnerable as the island is only 718 ha (1774 acres) in size and a direct hit by a supertyphoon could wipe them out. Efforts are under way to breed the species in captivity and to prevent the snakes from being introduced and established on Saipan. Six zoos have recently received this species and breeding was expected to begin by 2011. Success came more quickly, and the first captive birds were bred in 2009 in the North Carolina Zoo. Birds from captive breeding will be introduced on new islands. In addition, 24 birds were translocated from Saipan to the island of Sarigan, a predator-free island reserve, in 2011 in the hope of establishing a breeding population.