However, a 2019 study suggests that if eradications of invasive animals were conducted on just 169 islands, the survival prospects of 9.4% of the Earth's most highly threatened terrestrial insular vertebrates would be improved.

These scientists learned about the story of Clipperton Island which had been visited by ornithologist Ken Stager of the Los Angeles County Museum in 1958.

The organization's founding advisory board[23] is composed of prominent scientists, practitioners, and authors in the fields of conservation biology and invasive species including Paul Ehrlich, José Sarukhán Kermez, Russell Mittermeier, Harold Mooney, David Quammen, Peter Raven, Michael Soulé, and Edward O. Wilson.

[40] Other key partnerships include Invasive Species Council,[41] BirdLife International, New Zealand Department of Conservation, SPREP and the Ornithological Society of French Polynesia.

[42] Since 2008, Island Conservation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have worked together to remove invasive vertebrates from Desecheo National Wildlife Refuge in Puerto Rico, primarily benefiting the Higo Chumbo cactus, three endemic reptiles, two endemic invertebrates, and to recover globally significant seabird colonies of brown boobies, red footed boobies, and bridled terns.

[43] Future work will focus on important seabird populations, key reptile groups including West Indian Rock Iguanas, and the restoration of Mona Island,[44] Alto Velo, and offshore cays in the Puerto Rican Bank and The Bahamas.

Key partnerships include the USFWS, Puerto Rico DNER, the Bahamas National Trust, and the Dominican Republic Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

[45] This was followed in 2012 by the Pinzon and Plaza Sur Island Restoration Project primarily benefiting the Pinzón giant tortoise, Opuntia galapageia, Galápagos land iguana.

In January 2014, the Choros Island Restoration Project was completed benefiting the Humboldt penguin, Peruvian diving petrel, and the local eco-tourism industry.

[54][55] The focus of future work includes the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve and the Juan Fernández Archipelago, where technology developed by Wildlife Drones is being used to support conservation efforts.

Island Conservation led a horizon scan in 2015[66] that identified drones,[67] genetic biocontrol, and conflict transformation as critical innovations to increase the scale, scope, and pace of rodent eradications.

The current focus of the Conservation Innovation program is to advance methods that increase safety, reduce cost, and improve the feasibility of eradicating invasive vertebrates from islands.