Rabbit problem on Macquarie Island

[tasadam]

Seems not all is going to plan with the rabbit baiting on Macquarie Island.

First, Birds caught up in island rabbit cull

And yesterday,
Poison baits kill over 400 Macquarie Island birds

With only 8 percent of the baits laid, the potential for far greater devastation is huge. But what is the cost of not doing it? Maybe there's another solution.

[stepbystep]

Yeah it's a big mess Adam, I cut the ABC story for last night's news - PWS was warned about the danger to birdlife from the bait's, but they had their own paid 'experts' that told them the bait was fine.

Problem is you don't really need to know that much to be an expert, unless you tell those that are listening what they want to hear = instant expert .

It now becomes a logistical and economic problem, so get ready for public opinion to shift on this matter(not talking about forests, still the birds).

[tasadam]

"Paid" experts eh?
For the right amount of money, I'll tell people what they want to hear too.....

[tastrax]

I am sure the "experts" (both paid and unpaid) knew of the non target species issues before they approved the project.

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=13009

The question is was the result as expected/predicted and does some change need to be made to the next baiting and eradication phase to lessen the effects on the non target species? I reckon that is a natural part of any project evaluation.

I am sure none of us want to see the rabbits, mice and rats stay forever because that would be a much greater long term issue for many of the island species.

[tasadam]

The question is was the result as expected/predicted and does some change need to be made to the next baiting and eradication phase to lessen the effects on the non target species? I reckon that is a natural part of any project evaluation.

Quite right and my apologies for the thoughtlessness of, and uneducated opinion in my previous needless comment.
However, it was only the weather that prevented any more than 8 percent of the baiting to be done, what damage if it all got done? The second part of your question would be irrelevant had it not been for the weather.
I understand some losses were expected, and it would be seen as acceptable to have some losses with a successful baiting program.
Was the result as expected? That can be answered by reading what is being reported in the media -
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2010/s3046416.htm

The team always knew that there'd be a risk that kelp gulls would also take the bait and die. But in a letter that's been leaked to the ABC, the Federal Government has said the level of bird deaths was higher than expected. Other species were also killed.

http://topnews.co.uk/215118-baiting-pro ... ird-deaths

"While some undesired deaths of birds were anticipated as an unavoidable consequence of the Macquarie Island pest eradication program, the level of deaths was higher than expected",

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/20 ... -news.html

A federal Environment Department letter obtained by the Mercury suggested the Federal Government did not want baiting to recommence after a high toll on the native seabirds the program was intended to protect.

Fortunately the weather has allowed the opportunity for a review on the baiting program which the media reports suggest will take place.. Unfortunately, this comes at higher cost, more delays, and more damage to the island in the mean time.
I hope the best solution can be found and implemented quickly and sincerely wish all those involved great success. I agree the introduced species need to go, not just for the benefit of the island species, but for the vegetation and soil down there as well.

[stepbystep]

Good points Adam, fact is we all screw things up from time to time and it seems their is a flawed approach to this difficult problem.
When warnings are dismissed then maybe some hatchets should come out...
Sadly the problem is real and the solution apparently very complex - I hope Parks get the economic support and political will to get onto it, and this serves as a good learning exercise for all involved.

[Nuts]

Im not sure Adam, where is it mentioned that there was to be no review in the process. 8% complete but i cant see where it was to be completed in one operation? (not much from the park link updates, there is a lot to wade thru (there and with 'news' links... might have missed it..?)

While both scenarios are believable...also, seems a suggestion is made that it wasnt so much weather as politics that halted the program???...

I'm sure those involved are both as passionate and capable as those not... Wouldnt be suprised if they do get let down by the organisation though...

The obvious question (to me) that im sure someone smarter has already asked.. Why didnt 'they' Start with the rabbits and rodents (not cats...)???

[tasadam]

8% complete but i cant see where it was to be completed in one operation?

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=12997
Jun Yr 1 - 1st round island baiting operation
Jul Yr 1 - 2nd round island baiting operation and assessment of areas of high rabbit density
Jul – Aug Yr 1 - Follow up aerial operations targeting remaining areas of high rabbit density
Aug Yr 1 - Dog and hunting teams deployed, start of rabbit mop up operations
Years 2 - 5 - Ongoing rabbit mopping up and monitoring using rabbit detection dogs and field staff
Years 3 or 4 - Use rodent detection dogs to identify rodent status on island after rabbits reduced to undetectable levels
Years 4 - 5 - Monitoring continues for two years after last rabbit eliminated
April - end year 5 - Decommissioning, removal and transportation of portable field huts and other equipment from Macquarie Island to Hobart

The way I read it, the bold area represents the baiting phases. The intention was to lay the 300 tonnes of bait during those phases.
When you look at that, 24 tonnes has been laid and only 431 birds affected. 17 birds per tonne, from an area so heavily visited by birds. Puts a different perspective on it. But how to make it better?

seems a suggestion is made that it wasnt so much weather as politics that halted the program???...

Not sure where you got that from. It was clear in the blog that the weather was the factor.

Why didnt 'they' Start with the rabbits and rodents (not cats...)???

Hindsight is a wonderful tool. I guess cats eating poisoned rabbits / rodents would have helped with that problem too.

[Son of a Beach]

Why didnt 'they' Start with the rabbits and rodents (not cats...)???

Hindsight is a wonderful tool. I guess cats eating poisoned rabbits / rodents would have helped with that problem too.

Or possibly, when there were no more rabbits or rodents left, the cats may have focussed more on killing birds. (I've no idea is this is actually likely... just guessing at possibilities).

It sure is a complex busines..

I reckon when they've got it sorted out, ridding Lakes Crescent and Sorrell of carp will be a breeze!

(Until now, I thought that rabbits actually were rodents, but a bit of Googling tells me I was wrong).

[tastrax]

I might be able to ask the Macca staff but I am also not sure if the non target species ate the baits OR if they ate carcasses of dead rabbits (who ate the baits)?

Imagine you are a bird wintering on the island - mid winter, blowing a gale (more than usual) and then finally after a couple of days of good weather (and some bait gets laid) you head off to forage for some tucker (maybe flying up and down the island) and "low and behold" the rabbits in one area are no longer running - they are belly up just begging to be eaten. If I was bird, I would probably gorge myself silly on the rabbit rather than pick up hundreds of little baits.

[seakar]

Daydreaming some years back, I said to a friend “we could sail to Stuet Is. And live on Rabbits for a year.” This prompted the reply “we could do the same on Macquarie I’m sure the government would support us in some way.”
Did I hear twenty four million dollars? Or am i getting confused with twenty four tonnes of bait?
I would be very fat and rich (how many rabbits?). Not sure if I would want to eat them anymore. Are the poisons residual in any way? It all seems a bit wasteful are they going to bury them and at least fertilise the soil?

[tasadam]

This topic is long overdue for an update... Major inroads being made on Macca with the seek & destroy missions going on down there.
There's been a fair bit in the news about it lately...

See http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-30/m ... ection=tas

[tastrax]

..and to follow up - here is a shot that shows what the vegetation should return to now the rabbits are no longer on the island. This exclusion plot is in the valley behind Brothers Point Hut.

for the real geeks this is a geotagged image that you can view in Google Earth (not that the imagery in this area is very good) via Picassa

[Lindsay]

Great to see a positive evironmental story for a change. Now, if this can be carried over to mainland Australia......

[north-north-west]

I love that. Brothers Point. I wonder just what Nigel did out there to get the place named after him.