Keeping invasive rats off the Aleutian Islands. That was the topic up for discussion at the BP Energy building in Anchorage.
The event was hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.
The concern is keeping rats off four islands in particular: Amchitka, Attu, Great Sitkin, and Kiska. Experts say the rodents have been harmful to sea birds on the islands, altering the natural ecosystem.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: “Since the 1700’s, shipwrecks, trappers, homesteaders, military, and other government agencies have accidentally and intentionally brought new non-native species to the Aleutian Islands. Despite over 60 years of invasive species management, non-native rats remain on at least 12 large islands in the Aleutian Island archipelago, including the uninhabited islands of Great Sitkin, Kiska, Amchitka, and Attu Islands.”
So, how do we get rid of them?
“Another alternative would be using a certain kind of rat poison dropped with little bait pellets on the island. Another …