Island restoration

South Georgia Surveys supports habitat restoration projects in the Falkland Islands in conjunction with the Beaver Island LandCare group. BILC began rat eradication operations in 2007 when rats were cleared from 8 islands in the Beaver Island group in the southwest region of the Falklands.

Rat eradication operations in the Falklands date back to 2001. Since then, 59 islands have been treated; 7 of these were experimental operations designed to test how long it took for re-invasion to occur. Of the other 52 islands, 28 are currently still rat-free, 9 have been re-invaded by rats and 15 are awaiting post-baiting checks. 

Links to reports on Falkland Islands rat eradication operations can be found in  Publications. Eradication details are summarised in the Falkland Islands Rat Eradication Register (Excel) which is available on request.

 
Beaver Island LandCare team on Channel Islands, August 2007.

Eradication projects in the Falkland Islands have been funded from the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Overseas Territories Environment Programme OTEP, the Falkland Islands Government's Environmental Planning Department, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the Antarctic Research Trust, Falklands Conservation and the RSPB's South Atlantic Invasive Species Programme.

For more news about Falklands eradications, check these websites: Falklands Conservation  and the Falkland Islands Government Environmental Planning Department FIG EPD.

And to learn more about the threats rats pose to wildlife and for some sound advice for boat-owners on how to 'rat-proof' your boat and keep it rat-free, have a look at these two Alaskan websites:
www.stoprats.org  www.alaskamaritime.fws.gov/whatwedo/bioprojects/restorebiodiversity/shipaid.htm