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GEF6 regional invasives project - project overview.

Available Online

Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.

Pacific island ecosystems make up one of the worlds biodiversity hotspots, with high levels of endemism. However, Pacific islands areparticularly vulnerable to invasive species; because of their isolation and relatively recent human occupation, native species have not evolved to cope with the impacts of predators, herbivores...

Pacific Regional Invasive Management Support Services (PRISMSS) Invasive species programme management course

Available Online

Factsheet for the Invasive species programme management course

Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS)

SPREP Publications, Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

The PRISMSS is a regional mechanism, which facilitates the scaling up of invasive species management in the Pacific. It provides management support for on the groud invasive species actions

Using the mitigation hierarchy to manage impacts on biodiversity in Pacific island countries and territories = Renforcer la hiérarchie datténuation1dans les Etats et Territoires Insulaires Océaniens.

Available Online

The mitigation hierarchy (MH) is a step-by-step tool used to limit the negative impacts of development projects. It can be used for many disciplines; this guidance note focuses on its use to manage risks and impacts to biodiversity. Very similar approaches can be used for ecosystem services and even social impacts.

Rat and lagomorph eradication on two large islands of central Mediterranean: differences in island morphology and consequences on methods, problems and targets

Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

Baccetti, N.

Capizzi, D.

Cencetti, T.

De Pietro, F.

Giannini, F.

Gotti, C.

Puppo, F.

Quilghini, E.

Raganella Pelliccion, E.

Sammuri, G.

Sposimo, P.

Trocchi, V.

Vagniluca, S.

Zanichelli, F.

Montecristo and Pianosa islands, although approximately equal in surface area (c. 1,000 ha), di?er greatly in substrate, human presence, vegetation and altitude (650 m vs. 30 m asl, respectively). The former island hosts one of the largest yelkouan shearwater (Pu?nus yelkouan) populations in Italy, the latter a depleted remnant of once numerous Scopolis shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea). Two consecutive EU-funded LIFE projects have been designed to protect these seabird populations. On Montecristo, rough and inaccessible, aerial delivery of toxic baits in January-February 2012 eradicated black rats (Rattus rattus) and feral rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) (originally a non-target species), with no permanent consequences on a local, ancient population of wild goats (Capra hircus). Eradication on Pianosa, currently underway (started January 2017), is being performed by ground baiting, delivered by 4,750 dispensers placed on a 50 m × 50 m grid throughout the island. The latter operation is included in a multi-species eradication aimed at several other target species, among which was the brown hare (Lepus europaeus), apparently introduced around 1840. Genetic analyses on the ?rst trapped hares showed that this was the last uncontaminated and viable population of L. europaeus subsp. meridiei in existence. Whether of natural origin or introduced, the commencement of eradication of this population has instead created the awareness of a taxon otherwise unavailable for conservation elsewhere. While both projects address the same conservation issues (protection of shearwater colonies and restoration of natural communities), they di?er greatly regarding economic cost, public perception, e? ort needed to maintain results in the long term and e?ects on non-target species. In the present paper, speci?c attention has been paid to the comparison between bait delivering techniques, results obtained, the array of problems originating from the complex regulatory framework and reactions by the general public.

Climate change, coral loss, and the curious case of the parrotfish paradigm: why don't marine protected areas improve reef resilience?

Available Online

Scientists have advocated for local interventions, such as creating marine protected areas and implementing fishery restrictions, as ways to mitigate local stressors to limit the effects of climate change on reef-building corals

Mainstreaming biodiversity - a review of national strategies.

Available Online

Fernadez, M

Marques, A

Navarro, L M

Rotlan-Puig, X

Schroter, M

Whitehorn, P R

Biodiversity is suffering dramatic declines across the globe, threatening the ability of ecosystems to provide the services on which humanity depends. Mainstreaming biodiversity into the plans, strategies and policies of dif-different economic sectors is key to reversing these declines.

The history of the aerial application of rodenticide in New Zealand

Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

Broome, K.

Garden, P.

McClelland, P.

Following the incursion of rats (Rattus rattus) on Taukihepa (Big South Cape Island; 93.9 km²) off southern New Zealand in 1963, and the subsequent extirpation of several endemic species, the New Zealand Wildlife Service realised that, contrary to general belief at the time, introduced predators do not reach a natural balance with native species and that a safe breeding habitat for an increasing number of at risk species was urgently needed. Off shore islands offered the best option for providing predator free habitat but there was a limited number of predator-free islands available and most were very small. Eradicating rodents on larger islands to provide a wider range and greater area of habitats was required and hand treating these larger areas using trapping and hand application of toxicants, the only methods available at the time, proved problematic and often impossible. Helicopters had been used to distribute bait for the control of rabbits and brushtail possums in the past but eradication of any particular predator species was considered not feasible. The development of a GPS-based aircraft guidance system, a suitable bait product, specialised bait delivery systems and second-generation anti-coagulant toxicants changed that. Now islands as large as South Georgia (3,900 km²) have been treated using this method

Successes and failures of rat eradications on tropical islands: a comparative review of eight recent projects

Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

Brown, D.

Cranwell, S.

Cuthbert, R.J.

Griffiths, R.

Howald, G.

Keitt, B.

Pitt, W.C.

Tershy, B.

Wegmann, A.

Rat eradication is a highly effective tool for conserving biodiversity, but one that requires considerable planning eff ort, a high level of precision during implementation and carries no guarantee of success. Overall, rates of success are generally high but lower for tropical islands where most biodiversity is at risk. We completed a qualitative comparative review on four successful and four unsuccessful tropical rat eradication projects to better understand the factors influencing the success of tropical rat eradications and shed light on how the risk of future failures can be minimised. Observations of juvenile rats surviving more than four weeks after bait application on two islands validate the previously considered theoretical risk that unweaned rats can remain isolated from exposure to rodent bait for a period. Juvenile rats emerging after bait was no longer readily available may have been the cause of some or all the project failures. The elevated availability of natural resources (primarily fruiting or seeding plants) generated by rainfall prior to project implementation(documented for three of the unsuccessful projects) may also have contributed to project failure by reducing the likelihood that all rats would consume sufficient rodent bait or compounding other factors such as rodent breeding. Our analysis highlights that rat eradication can be achieved on tropical islands but suggests that events that cannot be predicted with certainty in some tropical regions can act individually or in concert to reduce the likelihood of project success. We recommend research to determine the relative importance of these factors in the fate of future tropical projects and suggest that existing practices be re-evaluated for tropical island rodent eradications.

Eradication of mice from Antipodes Island, New Zealand

Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

Elliott, G.

Greene, T.

Horn, S.

In winter 2016, the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) eradicated mice (Mus musculus) from the Antipodes Islands located at 49°S 178°E, 760 km south-east of New Zealands South Island. Mice were the only mammalian pest species present. They have extensively impacted the abundance and survival of invertebrates, with likely secondary impacts on endemic terrestrial birds and nesting seabird fauna. Public-private partnerships with DOC instigated the project and provided essential financial support. Baseline scientific data for operational planning and outcome monitoring were collected by a research expedition in July 2013 and project planning began in 2014. At the time of writing, this is the largest eradication of mice undertaken where mice are the sole mammalian pest species. Logistical challenges were complicated by a broad range of regulatory obligations. The expedition-style project used a ship to deliver a team and equipment to Antipodes Island where they established camp and remained until the completion of baiting. Bait spread was completed incrementally as weather allowed, comprehensively covering the islands in two separate treatments between 18 June 2016 and 12 July 2016. The last sign of mice was detected 20 days after the fi rst application of bait and the eradication of mice was confirmed by monitoring in late summer 2018. Public engagement was achieved with regular operational updates across multiple platforms and positive media coverage. Non-toxic bait trials accurately predicted some by-kill of pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae steindachneri) but did not anticipate poisoning of some Antipodes parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor) and Reischeks parakeet (Cyanoramphus hochstetteri). Known pest-free islands were not baited, providing refuge for land birds to mitigate the risk. Fledging success of Antipodean albatross (Diomedea antipodensis antipodensis) chicks was not impacted by the operation and those species that were affected had recovered by summer 2018.

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