Rats eradicated from rugged breaksea island (170 HA), Fiordland, New Zealand

摘要: Abstract Introduced rats cause extinctions and degrade habitats on islands worldwide; effective countermeasures are overdue. Eradication of Norway Rattus norvegicus from a 9-ha island nearby led to plan eradicate them Breaksea Island (170 ha; 354 m a.s.l.), which is forested rugged. Tracks were cut 743 bait stations set out. Brodifacoum poison baits laid in May 1988 checked replaced daily for 22 days every few months thereafter two years. No sign was found during 12 visits between July April 1992. The original forest cover intact many the changes caused by reversible. now valuable conservation: native species birds, lizards invertebrates have already recolonised unaided or been successfully introduced. With careful planning adequate resources, rodents could be eradicated much larger islands.