Search the SPREP Catalogue

74 result(s) found.

Sort by

Publication Year
Sort results by
Created
Sort results by
Updated
Sort results by

You searched for

Tags / Keywords rodents
X

Eradicating rats from Maninita Island, Vava'u, Kindgom of Tonga

Available Online

Houston D.M.

In June/July 2002 an eradication programme to remove Pacific rats from Maninita Island in the Vava'u group of the Kingdom of Tonga was initiated. The techniques used were similar to those used in successful rat eradications in New Zealand, in that Pestoff 20R pellets and a network of bait stations were used. Conditions on the island were not what was expected, the forest having been adversely affected by cyclone Waka and subsequent defoliation by caterpillars, resulting in an open forest canopy. Rats were found to be present on the island in high numbers and were breeding. At this stage it appears that the operation was successful, as no rats were caught in monitoring trapping after 20 days of operations, although follow-up monitoring needs to be carried out in late 2002 to confirm this. There appears to have been no negative impact on non-target species.

Distribution of rat species (Rattus spp.) on the atolls of the Marshall Islands: past and present dispersal

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Spennemann D.H.R.

The study of dispersal processes of small mammals, and especially of rodents, has a wide range of applications and until recent years there were few publications discussing the colonisation of 'oceanic' islands by small mammals (cf. Crowell, 1986; Diamond, 1987; Hanski, 1986;Heany, 1986; Lomolino, 1986). This essay will be concerned with the distribution of rat species in the Marshall Islands and its implications on the interpretation of the settlement and human use of the atolls. It will be argued that in all instances the introduction of rats was caused by people and that accidental transport, such as rafting on drift wood and the like, is as unlikely as introduction by means of ship wrecks. Human transport as well as the rats' own inability to cross great distances of water makes them bad zoogeographical markers, as already pointed out by Braestrup (1956), but it is precisely this trait that is of concern here. This paper will argue that the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans) was an intentional introduction to the area and that its distribution throughout the Marshall Islands was a deliberate strategy.

FAO to foil rat attack in Tuvalu : after global warming - Rats

Climate Change Resilience, BRB

Available Online

Matthews, Christopher

Rattus rattus, or black rats, are rampaging through Tuvalu's atolls and gnawing through the country's chief export crop - coconuts. Coconuts and copra (dried coconut flesh from which coconut oil is made) are the islander's main source of revenue.

Status of birds and rodents on Niue following cyclone Heta in January 2004

Available Online

Butler, D.J.

Powlesland, D.J.

Westbrooke, I.M.

On 6 January 2004. cyclone Heta devastated much of the South Pacific island nation of Niue. Extensive damage was done to forest, particularly of the north- western sector, with many trees up-rooted and others stripped of branches and foliage. This report details our findings from a survey of Niue's birds and rodents during 3-19 September 2004 and compares these with results from a similar survey in September 1994. Five-minute bird count data, an index of conspicuousness, from three transects showed that heahea (Polynesian triller,Lalagc maculosa) were more abundant in 2004 than in 1994, but mid (Polynesian starling, Aplonis tabuensis), kulukulu (purple-crowned fruit dove. Ptilinopus porpbyraecus) and lupe (Pacific pigeon. Ducula pacifica) had declined. The 28-64% decline in the lupe population per transect w as probably primarily as a result of hunting, rather than mortality caused by cyclone Heta. Counts of birds seen per kilometre along three sections of road (lower, upper, inland) were also compared with September 1994 data. However, for various reasons we doubt that the results accurately reflect population numbers. The 212 kiu (Pacific golden plover. Pluvial is fulva) counted at sites accessible from main roads in September 2004 was similar to the 226 seen in September 1994. Rat trapping results (captures per 100 trap-nights) along the same three transects for December 1994 and September 2004 were not significantly different. Both kuma (Pacific rat. Rattus exulans) and ship rats (R. rattus) were trapped, but kuma were found only in regenerating scrub, whereas ship rats were present in both scrub and forest. Recommendations for future work are made mainly in relation to the long-term conservation of lupe, a toaga (treasured) species of Niueans.

Guidelines for urban rat control

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Key, Jill

Rat control guidelines

Feasibility study on the removal of rats from Nuutele island, Samoa / Faafetai Sagapolutele

Available Online

Sagapolutele, Faafetai

This report presents the findings of a research project conducted on the island of Nuutele. An offshore uninhabited island lying east of the main island of Upolu, Samoa. The island is home and haven to sea birds and most endangered endemic and native land birds of Samoa. However, the invasion of the island by rat of unknown species, population and distribution has raised the concern for serious wildlife management actions to protect the islands' bio-diversity. In an attempt to investigate the feasibility of performing such an ecological management approach, a serious of field investigations were carried out from July 2000 to June 2001 on the island. These studies was funded by AusAid under the Nuutele Island Rodent Eradication Project through the Invasive Species Management Program currently coordinated and administered by SPREP. The fieldwork activities involved were coordinated and led by the author with strong technical support and advice from staff of the Department of Conservation in New Zealand. Massey University, International Wildlife Consultants. Local Consultants and staff, and the Invasive Species Management Project Manager of SPREP.

A plague of rats and rubbervines : the growing threat of species invasions / Yvonne Baskin

Baskin, Yvonne

Rodent baits and delivery systems for island protection / Cheryl E. O'Connor and Charles T. Eason

Available Online

Eason, Charles T.

O'Connor, Cheryl E.

There are five toxicants (brodifacoum, bromadialone, coumatetralyl, diphacinone, and flocoumafen) registered for rodent control in New Zealand. They are all anticoagulants and are available in water-resistant bait formulations (i.e. wax coating, wax block, or egg). Several new rodenticide products, which are currently in the process of being developed or registered, including a new anticoagulant difethialone, have also been identified. There are no published data on the relative effectiveness, palatability, or durability of the existing rodenticides for field use under New Zealand conditions. However, relevant published information on laboratory and wild rodents is reviewed. It is concluded that the highest priority should be to assess the four weather resistant, second-generation anticoagulant products (Pestoff® Rodent block, Talon® 50WB, Contrac®, and Baraki®) for palatability, durability, and effectiveness for an island protection situation. Improvements could then be made to the existing products if required with additives to improve palatability or durability, lures to attract rodents, and repellents for non-target insect, lizard and bird species. Trials of an alternative (e.g. cholecalciferol) to the persistent anticoagulants should also be considered for island protection. The most rodent-attractive bait station which also eliminates bird access needs to be determined for the complete island protection system.

Impact of rat species in Ouvea and Lifou (Loyalty Islands) and their consequences for conserving the endangered Ouvea Parakeet / by O. Robinet., J.L. Craig and L. Chardonnet

Robinet, O., Craig, J.L. and Chardonnet, L.

The Langara Island Seabird Habitat Recovery Project: eradiction of Norway Rats, 1993-1997

Kaiser, G.W...[et al.]

www.sprep.org © 2021 - 2024. All rights reserved