Eradication of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) by poisoning on three islands of the subantarctic Kerguelen Archipelago

Chapuis, Jean‐Louis; Roux, Vincent Le; Asseline, J.; LeFevre, Lauren; Kerleau, F.

doi:10.1071/wr00042

Cited by 32 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Since then, the rabbit and the cat were eradicated by the use of toxic baits and guns, from three and one islands of the Kerguelen Morbihan Gulf, respectively (Chapuis et al 2001). Also during the 1990s, the ship rat and the rabbit were eradicated from Saint Paul Island by a technique developed in New Zealand: spreading toxic baits by helicopter (Micol and Jouventin 2002).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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French attempts to eradicate non-indigenous mammals and their consequences for native biota

Lorvelec¹,

Pascal²

2005

Biol Invasions

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Many European politicians, managers, and scientists believe that non-indigenous species cannot be eradicated and that attempts to do so are hazardous because of frequent undesirable results. This notion seems to be based on the view that successful eradications undertaken in many other parts of the world cannot be generalised. To allow reasoned consideration of this argument, the eradication of non-indigenous vertebrate species performed in the French territories (European and overseas) and their recorded consequences on native fauna and flora are synthesised. Nineteen vertebrate eradication attempts were recorded, with seven mammal species as the targets. Of these attempts four failed for technical reasons and one for reasons undetermined as yet. These operations took place on islands of four biogeographical areas (West-European, Mediterranean, West Indies and Indian Ocean subantarctic) except a continental one (West-European continent). Among these 19 attempts, 13 were conducted according to a global strategy that provided data on the impact of the disappearance of the non-indigenous species on several native species. This impact, never detrimental, was determined for 14 species (one mammal, nine birds, one marine turtle, one crab, one beetle, one plant). Unexpected consequences of the disappearance of the invader were recorded for four native species (29%). This result highlights the poverty of natural historical information for several taxa and the flimsiness of the empty niche concept that is often used to argue for the delay of or to prevent any action again a non-indigenous species. If French territories can be taken as an example, eradications of non-indigenous species are not impossible; a good risk assessment prevents undesirable long-term consequences for native species and several native species benefited from the disappearance of the invader. Furthermore, eradication constitutes a powerful experimental tool for ecology and natural history studies if conceived as both a management and research operation.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some trapping (Pascal et al 1996;Lorvelec et al 2004) or poisoning (Pascal et al 1996;Chapuis et al 2001) of individuals of both native and non-indigenous non-target species were recorded. Nevertheless, these collateral impacts of eradication were never detectable the year after the eradication.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

French attempts to eradicate non-indigenous mammals and their consequences for native biota

Lorvelec¹,

Pascal²

2005

Biol Invasions

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“…This is particularly true for feral donkeys. While impact studies of feral goat and European rabbits on island ecosystems and successful eradications have been reported (Coblentz 1978;Parkes 1990;Chapuis et al 2001;Bullock et al 2002;Donlan et al 2002Donlan et al , 2003aCampbell et al 2004;Chapuis et al 2004;Campbell and Donlan 2005), primary literature on insular feral donkey populations is largely limited to behavioral observations and disease ecology (Smith and Latham 1978;Fowler de Neira and Johnson 1985;Rudman 1998). Here, we briefly summarize the few feral donkey impact studies and documented removals, and report on the successful large-scale eradication of feral donkey populations from Santiago Island and Alcedo Volcano on Isabela Island in the Gala´pagos archipelago.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feral donkey (Equus asinus) eradications in the Galápagos

et al. 2006

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Introduced herbivores are major drivers of ecosystem change and biodiversity loss, particularly on islands. Tools and techniques now exist to routinely remove introduced herbivores from islands, providing a powerful conservation tool. Here, we summarize the few documented feral donkey removals on islands worldwide, and report on the removal of populations from the Gala´pagos archipelago, Ecuador. After decades of sporadic control programs on Santiago Island and Alcedo Volcano, Isabela Island, donkey populations were removed from both areas, concurrent with a goat eradication program. Both ground and aerial hunting programs were utilized. The latter method was highly efficient; donkeys were removed from Santiago Island with less than 80 h of aerial hunting. Given the clear impacts of introduced herbivores on islands worldwide, feral donkey populations should be routinely removed from islands.

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“…The climate is subantarctic, characterized by strong winds, with temperatures ranging from a mean of 2.3 C in the coldest austral winter month of July to 7.8 C in the hottest summer month of January and a mean annual rainfall of 695 mm (period 1992-1999-M6t6o France data, Port-aux-Frangais). The demographic cycle of mice was assessed by monthly trapping sessions in the main habitat of the mice formed by closed communities of Acaena magellanica (Rosaceae) (Chapuis et al, 2001). 1).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epizootiology of Syphacia obvelata from a Domestic Mouse Population on the Subantarctic Kerguelen Archipelago

Pisanu¹,

Chapuis²,

Durette-Desset³

et al. 2002

The Journal of Parasitology

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The effects of abundance, age, and sex of feral domestic mice Mus musculus domesticus on infections with the nematode parasite Syphacia obvelata were analyzed during a long-term study of the mouse population on Guillou Island (1.45 km2), a part of the subantarctic Kerguelen Archipelago. The population dynamics of the nematode did not follow the variation in host abundance. However, depending on the year, differences in pinworm abundance were found between the age classes and sex. Such patterns suggest that parasitic infections may have been modulated by host-intrinsic factors, e.g., either by the way of innate or adaptive immunity, rather than extrinsic factors, e.g., host abundance.

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Eradication of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) by poisoning on three islands of the subantarctic Kerguelen Archipelago

Cited by 32 publications

References 20 publications

French attempts to eradicate non-indigenous mammals and their consequences for native biota

French attempts to eradicate non-indigenous mammals and their consequences for native biota

Feral donkey (Equus asinus) eradications in the Galápagos

Epizootiology of Syphacia obvelata from a Domestic Mouse Population on the Subantarctic Kerguelen Archipelago

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