Rat Island, part of the Aleutians in Alaska, had been infested with rats since a Japanese ship wrecked there in the 1700s. It is now rat free after a mass poisoning campaign proved successful. The project did have a few glitches, however, including the death of 43 Bald Eagles. The sacrifice seems well worth it if seabirds start breeding on the island in numbers like they do on other, nearby, rat-free islands.
Recent Posts
England’s Ospreys on the up
By David TSpecies Spotlight: Red-billed Blue Magpie
By Kai PflugBird Guides of the World: Phan Thanh, Vietnam
By EditorThe Ten Bird Species With The Longest English Common Names
By Kai PflugLand of Elephants – For the Birds
By Faraaz AbdoolAsk A Birder: Why Do Birds Preen?
By Leslie KinrysPuffin Cruise on the Salish Sea
By Hannah Buschert
Welcome to 10,000 Birds!
Learn about our site and writers, advertise, subscribe, or contact us. New writers welcome – details here!
Posting Calendar
DAY | WRITER(S) | SERIES |
---|---|---|
MON | Kai (w) | Birding Lodges (w) |
TUE | Donna (m) Susan (m) Hannah (m) Fitzroy (m) | Bird Guides (w) |
WED | Leslie (bw) Faraaz (bw) | Ask a Birder (w) |
THU | Paul (w) | Birder’s Lists (w) |
FRI | David (w) | Species Spotlight (w) |
SAT | Peter (bw) Luca (bw) | From the Archives (w) |
SUN | Clive (w) | Three Photos (w) |
w weekly, bw biweekly, m monthly | ||
Any time: Jason, Mark, John, Sara, Rolf, Dragan |
See here for info on the writers.
Newsletter
Signup and receive notice of new posts!
Thank you!
You have successfully joined our subscriber list.
In a related story…
While environmentalists worldwide view the riddance of rats from the Aleutians as an enormous success, members of AREA (American Rat Enthusiast Association) are devasted.
Wondering how long the poison maintains potency (even after being ingested by the rats), or what was left laying around.
Wes, if the poison used is 1080 or something comparable, it will dissolve rather quickly both within the rat remains and if it is laying around outside.