Eradication of black rats Rattus rattus from Anacapa Island

摘要: Removing invasive rats from islands is a powerful conservation tool, and practitioners are now targeting larger for rat eradication. As they do so, face the challenge of mitigating potential non-target impacts on native biodiversity that may be susceptible to rodenticides. We report eradication black Rattus rattus Anacapa Island, California, in 2001–2002, which was first-ever rodent an entire island where endemic present first aerial application rodenticide North America. mitigation strategy we staggered over 2 years held representative sample deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus anacapae captivity. also mitigated bird species potentially brodifacoum poisoning monitored aspects terrestrial marine environments. The free-ranging population severely declined following applications but reintroduction translocation efforts were successful, quickly recovered pre-eradication levels. Non-target included mortality raptors, gulls passerines, including high rufous-crowned sparrows Aimophila ruficeps obscura despite planned mitigation. All observed expected ephemeral; however, further monitoring should reveal details dynamics those impacts. Brodifacoum not detected environment or significant amounts soil, plants arthropods. Seabird benefits realized.