Caging, Capture, Slaughter & 42 Tons Of Poison - Last-Ditch Attempt To Free Oz Island Of Rats

[hatrack]

Lord Howe, an idyllic island off the Australian mainland, carefully conserves its natural treasures. The World Heritage-listed chunk of rock has strict quarantine laws, and limits the number of tourists who may visit. But its unique birds, insects and plants are under threat from an implacable foe: the black rat. Accidentally introduced in 1918 when a ship ran aground, rats are blamed for the extinction of five endemic bird species.

Wildlife experts warn that 13 other native birds, two reptiles, five plants and numerous invertebrates are at risk. Rats are also a threat to the vital tourism industry, which relies on the island's pristine image. Now Lord Howe, 500 miles north-east of Sydney, has decided to rid itself of rats and mice – and has put together one of the most radical pest-eradication programmes ever attempted. If the plan is approved, the island will be blitzed with poison from the air.

In order to protect local wildlife, entire populations of native birds will be caught and kept in cages for 100 days for their own protection. All cows and chickens will be slaughtered or shipped to the mainland beforehand, while dog owners will be offered muzzles for their pets, and parents will be advised to keep a close eye on their children.

A number of islands have been made predator-free, most notably in the Seychelles and New Zealand, and pest-elimination projects have occasionally been carried out on inhabited islands. But nowhere has such a project been contemplated in a place with a substantial population: Lord Howe has 350 permanent residents as well as 400 or so visitors at any one time.

EDIT

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/42-tons-of-poison-to-purge-island-of-rats-1866136.html

[okoboji]

1. just asking ....

if the rats eat the poison and die, and the birds and insects come along and eat the dead rats, won't they die as well?

[TxRider]

2. The rats will be gone in 100 days

Nothing left to eat but a little fur and bones.

[malakai2]

3. Depends on the formulation

They're using an anticoagulant, and anticoagulants have secondary effects. To be killed, a bird would have to either eat the bait in sufficient quantity to acquire a lethal dose, or if the bird is a predator or scavenger, eat enough tainted rat flesh to acquire a lethal dose. Sounds like the species they are most concerned with saving on the island are not scavengers or predators that would be unduly affected by the poison. As long as they are taking adequate precautions to prevent large scale deaths of granivorous birds, it seems like a good thing.

Restoring the island to a perpetually rat-free environment would be a lot more effective in conserving those other rare species than targeting funds for rat population control every year and hoping the rare species can continue to cope.

[amborin]

4. hmmmm.....so cal needs a roof rat extirpation!