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Eradication Feasibility Study Report

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Eradication Feasibility Study Report Feasibility Study Report for the Potential Eradication of Ship Rats, Mice, Rabbits and Feral Cats from New Island, Falkland Islands. Derek Brown November 2013 Version History: VERSION DATE AUTHOR REASON FOR CHANGE 1.0 (Draft) 2 September 2013 D. Brown Initial draft 1.1 22 September 2013 Comments from Sally Poncet 1.2 (Final) 1 November 2013 Incorporation of NICT comments following internal review This report should be cited as: Brown, D. 2013. Feasibility Study Report for the Potential Eradication of Ship Rats, Mice, Rabbits and Feral Cats from New Island, Falkland Islands. September 2013. Unpublished report for New Island Conservation Trust. New Island Feasibility Study Report V1.2 Page 1 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 5 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 6 2. GOAL, OBJECTIVES and OUTCOMES ............................................................................................................ 6 2.1 Supporting Documents ....................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Goal .................................................................................................................................................... 7 2.3 Possible Objectives and Outcomes ..................................................................................................... 7 3 THE SITE ...................................................................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Location and General Description ...................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Conservation Value and Biota .......................................................................................................... 11 3.3 History and Visitation ....................................................................................................................... 14 3.4 Ownership and Management ........................................................................................................... 16 3.5 Climate ............................................................................................................................................. 16 4 THE TARGET SPECIES, IMPACTS AND BENEFITS OF ERADICATION ............................................................ 17 4.1 Target Species .................................................................................................................................. 17 4.2 Impacts of the Invasive Mammals .................................................................................................... 19 4.3 Benefits and Possible Downsides of Eradication .............................................................................. 30 5. MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TO REDUCE IMPACTS OF INVASIVE MAMMALS ............................................... 34 5.1. The ‘Status Quo’ Option ................................................................................................................... 34 5.2. The ‘Sustained Control’ Option ........................................................................................................ 35 5.3. The Eradication Option ..................................................................................................................... 38 6. CAN ERADICATION BE ACHIEVED? ............................................................................................................ 40 6.1. Achievability ..................................................................................................................................... 40 6.2. Is Keeping New Island Free of Invasive Mammals Sustainable? ....................................................... 44 New Island Feasibility Study Report V1.2 Page 2 6.3. Technical Approach for an Eradication ............................................................................................. 47 Overall Strategy............................................................................................................................. 47 Eradication Methods ..................................................................................................................... 47 Toxin Options ................................................................................................................................ 49 Bait Application Options ............................................................................................................... 51 Bait Type and Quantity.................................................................................................................. 53 Timing ........................................................................................................................................... 55 Logistics ......................................................................................................................................... 56 6.4. Is Eradication Socially Acceptable? ................................................................................................... 56 6.5 Is Eradication Politically and Legally Acceptable? ............................................................................. 57 6.6 Non-target Species and Environmental Issues ................................................................................. 59 Longevity of Toxin and its Potential Effects................................................................................... 60 Effect on Soils, Water and Vegetation........................................................................................... 61 Effects on Marine Life ................................................................................................................... 61 Non-Target Species ....................................................................................................................... 62 Human Health ............................................................................................................................... 70 6.7 What if Eradication Fails? ................................................................................................................. 70 6.8 Capacity ............................................................................................................................................ 73 6.9 Preliminary Cost Estimations ............................................................................................................ 75 7. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................. 78 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................................... 81 Appendix 1. Potential Key Stakeholders. .................................................................................................. 87 New Island Feasibility Study Report V1.2 Page 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report assesses the justification for and feasibility of eradication of the introduced ship rat, mouse, rabbit and feral cat from New Island (2240ha), one of the most westerly islands within the Falkland Islands, a UK Overseas Territory in the south-west Atlantic Ocean. New Island is owned and managed by the New Island Conservation Trust (NICT). It is a very important conservation island, and supports at least 39 breeding species, including significant populations of thin-billed prions, black-browed albatross, rockhopper, gentoo and Magellanic penguin, king cormorant, striated caracara, Falklands steamer duck, and white-chinned petrel. Some but not all native species on New Island are vulnerable to introduced mammalian predators such as the ship rat, house mouse and feral cat, while rabbits compete with seabirds for burrow space and may affect flora diversity, habitats and vegetation recovery. If invasive mammal eradication is considered, this study strongly recommends an ‘all or nothing approach’, with all four species targeted for eradication simultaneously or none at all, to avoid potential for unforeseen consequences and surviving pest species to further impact on the environment. Eradicating the invasive mammal species from New Island would eliminate the only known local population of ship rats in the Falklands, would benefit a range of native species, and would aid in the restoration of normal ecosystem processes. Some wildlife species would be unaffected by mammal removal, while there is a possibility a few species (especially raptors) that may benefit from invasive mammal presence could see population decreases. A range of native species may also be temporarily affected, some potentially at a significant level, by the methods used for eradication, and losses of individuals would be expected. Any eradication will need to include all islands within 1km with known or suspected rodent presence, and these include Landsend Bluff and possibly others. Eradication of rodents from these and New Island would enable the entire New Island group of islands to become free of introduced
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