Henderson Island Newsletter Issue 6, July 2013

© Richard Cuthbert Outcome of the Operation in 2011 Henderson Island Facts In August 2011, the millions and driving the During March 2012, Part of the Pitcairn RSPB and the Pitcairn Henderson petrel seven months after the Island group, a UK Islands Government towards extinction. operation, a member of Overseas Territory in undertook a rat a National Geographic the South Pacific. eradication operation on expedition to the In November, after The last near-pristine Henderson Island. This Pitcairn Islands briefly limestone island of Pacific island is a World almost five months, the observed and filmed a significant size in the Heritage Site, home to last members of the team rat on Henderson world. over 55 unique species left Henderson. No rats Island. A rapid response Home to over 55 found nowhere else on had been sighted for 11 team was assembled by unique species, earth. Rats have had a weeks and the whole the RSPB, which including 4 species of team were quietly endemic landbird. devastating impact on the confirmed in May 2012 island’s biodiversity, optimistic about success. that rats were indeed Only known breeding reducing the number of Sadly, this optimism was still present. site of the petrels by an order of to be replaced with endangered disappointment. Henderson petrel. Global stronghold of the gadfly petrel Learning lessons group. Genetic analysis has con- gramme followed all in- Declared a natural firmed that some rats sur- ternational best practice, World Heritage Site in vived and this was not a but suggested that the 1988. new introduction. Their weather may have © Alve Henricson survival was very disap- played a defining role. Pacific rats are still threatening the pointing news and a ma- The months running up Henderson petrel with extinction. jor setback for the work to to the eradication at- increase in alternative save the Henderson pet- tempt were dry, ideal food sources may have rel from extinction. conditions to undertake resulted in not all rats the eradication pro- switching to the bait gramme. Unfortunately, pellets. The reviews To learn as much as pos- this drought broke. When sible from this attempt, also identified some the team arrived on Hen- lessons from other op- the RSPB commissioned derson they found it three independent re- erations conducted green with plentiful flow- since Henderson, which views. These reviews ering and fruiting and full highlighted that our pro- we are carefully consid- of breeding birds. This ering. ‘Bird boom’ on Henderson The attempt to eradicate Murphy’s petrel We now have more infor- rats from Henderson gave chicks successfully mation to build into all us tantalising glimpses of fledged on Hender- future rodent eradication the huge benefits that a son, probably for programmes on islands. rat-free Henderson Island the first time in cen- Through the data col- would bring. turies. lected after the eradica- tion attempt, we can also say with a greater degree Pacific rats (Rattus exu- The Henderson of confidence that eradi- lans) were introduced reed-warbler in- cating rats from the island about 800 years ago by creased five-fold in will benefit the entire Hen- the Polynesian settlers the period after the derson ecosystem, pro- who once lived on Hen- eradication attempt. tecting the integrity of this derson. This population of World Heritage Site. rats killed over 25,000 petrel chicks every year and is responsible for driving the endangered Henderson petrel towards extinction. Initial results after the eradication at- tempt showed that the ‘... still the best benefits to Henderson’s © Richard Cuthbert © Richard Cuthbert The bait loading operation from the Some glimpses of the benefits: Mur- hope to save wildlife from reducing rat MV Aquila. phy’s petrel successfully fledged on numbers was enormous. Henderson. the Henderson For example: petrel from extinction ...’ Statement of intent from the RSPB The RSPB is committed possible, eradicate rats bers of the Pitcairn Coun- to working to save the from the island’. cil and the wider commu- Henderson petrel from Mike added: nity, to work towards a extinction. Eradicating second eradication opera- rats from Henderson Is- ‘We are still very optimis- tion on Henderson Island. land is still the best hope tic we can eradicate rats from Henderson and give So with the support of for this and other endemic Pitcairn community and species and to restore the Henderson petrel back its home. However, with some further scien- this isolated tropical is- tific research and investi- land for all of its nature. we are not leaving this to chance. As with the first gation, the ground is well The Henderson Island attempt, our approach will set for a second attempt operation was ground- have a firm basis in sci- to eradicate rats from breaking in many as- ence. There are a number Henderson. The RSPB pects, and we are com- of key questions out- will develop its plans over mitted to continuing our standing, which we will the coming months and pioneering efforts. investigate further. Our aims to keep all stake- team will ensure that we holders informed of our progress through this Mike Clarke, Chief Execu- have everything in place before going a head with Newsletter and our web- tive of the RSPB stated site. that ‘While everyone in- a second attempt.’ volved in the first attempt was bitterly disappointed The RSPB’s work to to learn that our efforts to eradicate rats from Hen- eradicate rats from the derson Island would not island failed, we are still be possible without the committed to working with support of the Pitcairn the Pitcairn community to community. Thankfully, restore Henderson Island unanimous support was World Heritage Site and if received from all mem- © Alve Henricson Our mission to save the Henderson petrel from extinction will continue. Planning a rat-free future for Henderson Eradicating rats from We will also participate in Henderson is a difficult a meeting of experts to but not impossible chal- review tropical rodent lenge. The RSPB’s imme- eradication tools and iden- diate plans involve a team tify means to improve visiting Henderson during overall success rate on July and August 2013 to tropical islands. © Derek Brown undertake research and The MV Aquila working in attempt to answer some 2011. Helicopter and bait on of the questions raised The results from these two board. during the review and by key events will help form the Pitcairn community. our overall direction in We hope to report on the terms of how and when to fieldwork visit in the next proceed with the next era- diation attempt. edition of this Newsletter. © Andrew MacDonald The expedition team. What will it take? We are aware of the par- the Henderson Petrel from this year. We would antici- ‘Eradicating ticular challenge facing us extinction is still a goal that pate launching our fund- rats from in raising money a second is within our grasp. De- raising campaign in early Henderson is a time round. However, we pending on the outcome of 2014. If you would like to dis- strongly believe that this the summer fieldwork and cuss this further with us or difficult but not project can be successful. our consultation with ex- pledge your support, please impossible Protecting this World perts, we will develop our contact David Agombar by Heritage Site and saving fund-raising plans later email at: challenge...’ [email protected].

© Richard Cuthbert © Richard Cuthbert © Richard Cuthbert The endemic Henderson fruit dove. The endemic Henderson lorikeet. The endemic Henderson Reed warbler, whose population increased 5 fold with reduced rat number. Acknowledgements Although our first attempt ers but particularly that of: ries Environment Programme to eradicate rats from Susan and Franklyn Orr, (OTEP), the Critical Ecosys- Henderson was not suc- Peter Harrison MBE, Geoff tem Partnership Fund cessful, it does not make Ball, Rosemary & Michael (CEPF), the Joint Nature the contribution of those Warburg, Robert Conservation Committee individuals and organisa- McCracken, The David (JNCC), and the BBC Wildlife tions that supported the and Lucile Packard Foun- Fund (BBCWF). effort any less important. dation, the UK Department The RSPB gratefully ac- for the Environment, Food A special thank you to Sir knowledges the contribu- and Rural Affairs (Defra), tions made by all support- David Attenborough for his the UK Overseas Territo- personal support.

Contact us For further information, please contact John Kelly, Globally Threatened Species Programme Manager. Email: [email protected] Tel: + 44 (0) 1767 69 3666 Address: RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL, United Kingdom. Website: www.rspb.org.uk/hendersonisland. Scan with your The RSPB is a registered charity in England & Wales 207076, in Scotland SC037654. smart phone to find out more.