paul st pierre 2015 rat eradication islands seabirds
DESCRIPTION
The developing outcomes of rat eradication programmes on south-west IslandsPaul St PierreConservation Officer, RSPB, Penzance office No 2, The Old Smelting House, Chyandour Coombe, Penzance, TR18 3LP T: 01736 362979 E: [email protected]: http://www.rspb.org.uk/whatwedo/projects/details/343296-isles-of-scilly-seabird-recovery-project http://ios-seabirds.org.uk/Globally islands support 20% of the world’s flora & fauna in less than 5% of the land mass. Sixty-four percent of extinct and 45% of critically endangered species (IUCN) live or have lived on islands. Non-native invasive species, after habitat loss, are the single most important reason for biodiversity loss worldwide and the single biggest threat to seabird diversity. This issue is becoming more widely recognised. Up to 2011 – 664 island restoration projects have been carried out in 33 countries including 10 successful rat removal projects in the UK. In the south west of England there are two important seabird colonies where projects are being carried out to restore their seabird populations; Lundy (a partnership between RSPB, Land Mark Trust, National Trust, and Natural England) and Isles of Scilly (a partnership between RSPB, IoSWT, Duchy, IoS AONB, Island Rep and Natural England which is funded by LIFE Nature and HLF). The Lundy project completed successful removal in 2004 and the St Agnes and Gugh project is still in the monitoring phase. The main beneficiaries of the projects are Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus and Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus, both of which the UK has special responsibility and which are conservation priorities for the RSPB. The project on Lundy has seen a tenfold increase in the Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus population within 10 years and the first ever confirmed breeding of Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus in 2014. On the Isles of Scilly the targeted islands of St Agnes and Gugh saw the first recorded fledging of Manx shearwater Puffinus in living memory in 2014 and an increase in lesser white toothed (Scilly) shrew activity in the first summer after the removal phase. For island restoration projects the short-term challenge is the complete removal of the non-native species involved. Maintaining appropriate bio-security measures is the longer-term challenge. Neither project would have been successful without the support of volunteers and the communities on the islands. In the case of St Agnes and Gugh it is currently the largest community based rat removal project for seabirds attempted globally to date.TRANSCRIPT
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The developing outcomes of rat eradication programmes on south-west Islands
Paul St Pierre
Conservation Officer
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Island Restoration A Global Perspective
Islands support 20% flora & fauna less than 5% land mass
64% ICUN extinct & 45% critically endangered live or have lived on islands
Non-native invasive species are the single most important reason for biodiversity loss worldwide after habitat loss
Globally recognised. Up to 2011 664 island restoration projects in 33 countries, 10 successful rat removal projects in the UK
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SOUTH WEST PERSPECTIVE A special place for breeding sea
birds with over 80,000 birds of 17 species
3 SPAs and 13 SSSIs with seabirds The only English colonies of Storm
Petrel and Manx Shearwater (two UK priority seabirds threatened by non-native invasive species)
The focus of two major island restoration projects, one on Lundy and one on the Isles of Scilly
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LUNDY
Lundy is designated as an SSSI for its seabirds
It is one of only two colonies of ManxShearwater in England
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LUNDY SEABIRD RECOVERY PROJECT
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ISLAND RESTORATION STATUS
Removal phase completed in 2002
Rat free status confirmed in 2004
Bio-security measures in place and no rat sign since then
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OUTCOMES 1st Manx shearwater chick
Manx shearwaters have increased tenfold from c300 to 3,451 pairs
Puffins from 6 to 80 pairs
Overall seabird population doubled 7,351 to 14, 776 pairs
1st storm petrel chick in 2014
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ISLES OF SCILLY
Greatest diversity of breeding seabirds in England: 20,000 seabirds of 14 species
Internationally important for European storm petrel and lesser black-backed gull
Other unique wildlife
Seabird populations have declined by over 25% in the last 25 years
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ISLES OF SCILLY SEABIRD RECOVERY PROJECT
COPYRIGHT CORNWALL COUNCIL
Aims: Reverse recent declines in seabird populations through removal of the non-native brown rat from the islands of St Agnes and Gugh Enable people to learn about, take pride in, and play an active role in celebrating and conserving their seabird heritage. Train and support island communities to embrace the benefits of seabird recovery, and continue to protect their heritage once the project has ended.
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ISLAND RESTORATION STATUS
2010-2013 Feasibility and funding 2013 Preparation 2013/2014 Removal phase and intensive monitoring 2014/16 Long term monitoring 2016 Final check 2016 - Biosecurity
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30th November 2013
Last rat sign, Big Pool
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Distribution of bait take by Brown Rats on St Agnes and Gugh, 8 November 2013 to 8 March 2014. Red denotes highest amount of bait take
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ECOLOGICAL MONITORING
2013 Baseline- Seabirds- Land birds- Mammals- Invertebrates - Plants- Fixed point photography
2014 first year post removal monitoring2015 All island survey2016/17 final monitoring
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OUTCOMES
Manx shearwater Shrews Land birds Other taxa
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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
100% support
Waste management
Removal and Biosecurity
Engaging visitors
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VOLUNTEERING: IOS-SEABIRDS.ORG.UK