Register      Login
Wildlife Research Wildlife Research Society
Ecology, management and conservation in natural and modified habitats
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > WR > WR06006
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 34(2)

The successful eradication of introduced roof rats (Rattus rattus) from Buck Island using diphacinone, followed by an irruption of house mice (Mus musculus)

Gary W. Witmer A E , Frank Boyd C and Zandy Hillis-Starr D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A USDA National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 Laporte Avenue,

B Fort Collins, CO 80521-2154, USA.

C USDA Wildlife Services, Extension Hall, Room 118, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5656, USA.

D Christiansted National Historic Site and Buck Island Reef National Monument, 2100 Church Street #100, Danish Custom’s House, Kings Wharf, St Croix, US Virgin Islands 00821, USA.

E Corresponding author. Email: Gary.W.Witmer@aphis.usda.gov

Wildlife Research 34(2) 108-115 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR06006
Submitted: 11 January 2006  Accepted: 19 February 2007   Published: 24 April 2007

Abstract

The United States National Park Service and the United States Wildlife Services made a planned and sustained effort to eradicate the introduced roof rats (Rattus rattus) from Buck Island Reef National Monument in the Caribbean Sea during 1998–2000. The rats were causing substantial damage to a variety of the 80-ha island’s floral and faunal resources. An island-wide grid of elevated bait stations containing anticoagulant (0.005% diphacinone; 50 ppm) rodenticide bait blocks were used to eradicate the rats. The bait stations were modified several times to assure ready access by rats while minimising access by non-target animals, especially crabs and birds. Numerous post-project trapping sessions over six years resulted in no rat captures, suggesting that, indeed, the rats had been eradicated from the island. No non-target losses resulting from the baiting program were observed by field personnel, but they noted what appeared to be a recovery of some of the island’s floral and faunal resources. There have been no depredations of endangered sea turtle nests since the eradication. Post-project monitoring sessions revealed the presence of a growing house mouse (Mus musculus) population on the island. The threats posed by, and potential management strategies for, this introduced pest species are being investigated. This is the first successful rat eradication on a sizable island, using diphacinone bait blocks with a unique, elevated bait-station system. Diphacinone can provide an alternative to the highly toxic brodifacoum and may help reduce non-target hazards in some situations, although several applications are generally required.


Acknowledgements

The rat-eradication project was conducted under Interagency Agreement No. 1443IA500009905 between the NPS and WS. We especially thank NPS Park Superintendent Joel A. Tutein for hosting WS and facilitating the work. NPS personnel, BrendaLee Phillips, Philippe Mayor and Kimberly Woody, assisted in many ways. Marianne Jensen, WS Budget Assistant, greatly assisted in the management of the project, personnel, and budget. Dr Earl Campbell, FWS (formerly with WS), provided useful advice on the project. The tireless efforts of WS field staff (Kelly Ladner, Chad Fuqua, Trae Noblett, Allen Gosser, Joyce Wakefield, Ashley Rossi, Pedro Quinones, Doug Hall, Ken Garner, Damon Hughes and James Rebholz) allowed the success of the project. We appreciate the review comments of Michael Fall, Susan Jojola and several anonymous reviewers.


References

Atkinson I. (1985). The spread of commensal species of Rattus to oceanic islands and their effects on island avifaunas. In ‘Conservation of Island Birds’. (Ed. P. Moors.) pp. 35–81. International Council of Bird Preservation, Technical Publication No. 3.

Baker R., Bodman G., and Timm R. (1994). Rodent-proof construction and exclusion methods. In ‘Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage’. (Eds S. Hygnstrom, R. Timm and G. Larson.) pp. B-137–B-150. (Cooperative Extension Service, University of Nebraska: Lincoln, NE.)

Billing, J. (2000). The control of introduced Rattus rattus on Lord Howe Island: the status of warfarin resistance in rats and mice. Wildlife Research 27, 659–661.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Burbidge A., and Morris K. (2002). Introduced mammal eradications for nature conservation on Western Australian islands: a review. In ‘Turning the Tide: the Eradication of Invasive Species’. (Eds C. Veitch and M. Clout.) pp. 64–70. (International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Invasive Species Specialist Group: Gland, Switzerland.)

Caut, S. , Casanovas, J. , Virgos, E. , Lozano, J. , Witmer, G. , and Courchamp, F. (2007). Rats drying for mice: modelling the competition release effect. Austral Ecology 32,in press
Dammann A., and Nellis D. (1992). ‘A Natural History Atlas to the Cays of the U.S. Virgin Islands.’ (Pineapple Press, Inc.: Sarasota, FL.)

Donlan, C. , Howald, G. , Tershy, B. , and Croll, D. (2003). Evaluating alternative rodenticides for island conservation: roof rat eradication from the San Jorge Islands, Mexico. Biological Conservation 114, 29–34.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Eason C., Murphy E., Wright G., O’Connor C., and Buckle A. (2001). Risk assessment of broad-scale toxicant application for rodent eradication on islands versus mainland use. In ‘Advances in Vertebrate Pest Management II’. pp. 45–58. (Filander Verlag: Furth.)

Flanigan, T. , Schwan, T. , Armstrong, C. , Van Voris, L. , and Salata, R. (1991). Relapsing fever in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Journal of Infectious Diseases 163, 1391–1392.
| PubMed | Furniss S. (1984). ‘Recovery plan for the St. Croix ground lizard, Ameiva polops.’ (United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Atlanta, GA.)

Genovesi, P. (2005). Eradications of invasive alien species in Europe: a review. Biological Invasions 7, 127–123.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Howald G., Samaniego A., Tershey B., Pyle P., Buffa J., Keitt B., and Jones H. (2005b). Options for removing house mice from the Farallon Islands, Farallon National Wildlife Refuge. (Island Conservation and Ecology Group: Santa Cruz, CA.)

Innes, J. , and Barker, G. (1999). Ecological consequences of toxin use for mammalian pest control in New Zealand – an overview. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 23, 111–127.
National Park Service (1999). ‘Island-wide Rat Eradication Environmental Assessment.’ Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted, St Croix, VI.

Newman, D. (1994). Effects of a mouse, Mus musculus, eradication programme and habitat change on lizard populations of Mana Island, New Zealand, with special reference to McGregor’s skink, Cyclodina macgregori. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 21, 443–456.
Pierce J. (2004). Control of non-native species at USVI offshore islands. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 4, Atlanta, GA.

Shore, R. , Birks, J. , and Freestone, P. (1999). Exposure of non-target vertebrates to second-generation rodenticides in Britain, with particular reference to the polecat Mustela putorius. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 23, 199–206.
Tasheva M. (1995). ‘Anticoagulant Rodenticides.’ (World Health Organization: Geneva.)

Veitch C., and Clout M. (2002). ‘Turning the Tide: the Eradication of Invasive Species.’ (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources: Gland, Switzerland.)

Witmer, G. , Campbell, E. , and Boyd, F. (1998). Rat management for endangered species protection in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference 18, 281–286.


Witmer, G. , Martins, H. , and Flor, L. (2004). Leptospirosis in the Azores: the rodent connection. Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference 21, 217–220.