Rats on off-shore islands
Rat attacking bird chick
© David Mudge
Australian islands provide important refuges for many threatened species, and sanctuaries for seabirds and other wildlife. Many of these native animals are vulnerable to invasive pests. The invasion of black rats have caused the extinction of five bird species on Lord Howe Island and two bird species on Norfolk Island, and threaten many others.
Rats are one of the biggest threats to the wildlife of Lord Howe Island, one of WWF's Global 200 ecoregions. A feasibility study, co-funded by WWF, found that it was possible to eradicate rats and mice from the island. In 2004, WWF sought to have rats on off-shore islands both listed as a key threat under Federal environment laws and get a national action plan in place. In 2006, the Australian Government announced it would do both.
The government's national action plan offers an opportunity to identify priority islands rich in wildlife that would benefit from rat eradication, including those that provide sanctuaries for albatross and other seabirds.
