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  • Tags / Keywords national invasive species strategy and action plan
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  • Tags / Keywords european storm-petrel
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American Samoa invasive species and action plan.
BRB
Available Online
2017
American Samoa invasive species strategy and action plan for the only US territory in the South Pacific being such is faced with unique threats with its location from a national perspective and has a need for both nation al and regional collaborations. The ecological integrity of American Samoa is of utmost importance in the face of invasive species. The cultural identity of American Samoans is also closely tied to the ecological integrity of its natural environment. And given its a highly limited economy, any impact by invasive species on its natural ecosystems that provide goods and services will be almost immediate. The establishment of an invasive species plan, with its clearly articulated priority actions, goals and objectives will provide a guidance to deal with the threats of invasive species. The implementation of the plan will: (1) increase awareness of their threats; (2) inspire cooperation to prevent and minimize their impacts and implement appropriate approaches; and (3) improve decision making through the process of data and information sharing from the best available science. Priorities are: Implement urgent and necessary actions; Enhance capacities for informed decisions; Advance preventive and rapid-response protocols and measures.
Long term rodent control in Rdum tal-Madonna yelkouan shearwater colony
Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB
Available Online

Cabello, J.S. Santiago

,

Lago, P.

,

Varnham, K.

2019
Rodent predation on eggs and chicks is one of the main threats to procellariiform species in the Mediterranean, where the black rat (Rattus rattus) and brown rat (R. norvegicus) have been present on many islands for centuries. The yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) is an endemic Mediterranean seabird species classified as vulnerable. Malta holds up to 10% of the global population; the largest colony, Rdum tal-Madonna (RM), protected as a Natura 2000 site, hosts around 500 breeding pairs. This colony has been monitored since its discovery in 1969. A very low reproductive success due to rat predation was noticed in the late 1990s to early 2000s. In 2007 a seasonal rodent control programme was established during the breeding season of yelkouan shearwater to reduce rat predation on eggs and chicks. Rodent control took place between 2007 and 2010 and was reviewed and continued from 2012 to 2017. Breeding success since 2007 has been higher than 80%. In two other colonies with rat presence and where rodent control did not take place, the breeding success in 2016 and 2017 was substantially lower than in the colony with the rodent control programme. The European storm-petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis) only breeds in rat-free areas like remote sea caves or islets around the Maltese islands. In 2014, the first breeding attempt by European storm-petrel was recorded on the Maltese mainland at RM with a chick fledging successfully for the first time in 2016. The ongoing LIFE Arcipelagu Garnija project is assessing rat predation in all Maltese yelkouan shearwater colonies in order to establish predator control in the most important yelkouan shearwater breeding sites in 2018.