Conservationists in New Zealand are starting the biggest campaign in history to rid a populated island of imported predators. The conservation organization Predator Free Rakiura and the crown research center Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research have agreed to a four-year, $2.8 million partnership to eradicate predators like possums, rats, feral cats, and hedgehogs. The project will also […]
Tag: rat eradication
Is this Guam bird coming back from extinction in the wild?
It suffered deadly declines due to an environmental blunder by the military, then was rescued from the jaws of extinction by conservationists. This year it endured the threat of a missile strike, but what does the future hold for the Guam Rail? Earlier this year, the world held its breath as North Korea’s crosshairs were […]
POLL: Should invasive animal predators be wiped out?
For the first time in history, New Zealand has announced an ambitious initiative to eliminate rats, stoats, and possums from the country by 2050, in an effort to rid the country of an ecological scourge ravaging its native wildlife. “New Zealand’s unique native creatures and plants are central to our national identity,” said New Zealand […]
Isles of Scilly rat eradication to ‘save seabirds’ begins
A project aimed at protecting internationally important seabird populations on two of the Isles of Scilly by killing more than 3,000 brown rats, is under way. The islands, which are located off Cornwall, are home to breeding populations of 14 seabird species and approximately 20,000 birds. Eradication experts from New Zealand and the UK have […]
World’s largest rat extermination returns South Georgia to its bird life
A team on South Georgia has successfully completed the world’s largest rodent eradication in an effort to rid the British territory of millions of rats and mice. Against the backdrop of an approaching Antarctic winter between February and May, three helicopters encountered perilous flying conditions while peppering the southern Atlantic island with 183 tonnes of […]