Macquarie Island: the introduction of the European rabbit flea <i>Spilopsyllus cuniculi</i> (Dale) as a possible vector for myxomatosis

Sobey, W. E.; Adams, Kimberly; Johnston, Greg; Gould, L. R.; Simpson, K. N. G.; Keith, K

doi:10.1017/s0022172400022762

Cited by 25 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Records collected by Scott (1988) indicate that densities have varied markedly in different parts of the island at different times, and that total numbers have fluctuated. Before the introduction of Myxoma, total numbers varied up to threefold (50 000-150 000) between 1956 and 1978 (Copson, Brothers & Skira 1981), and there were notable peaks in 1950 (Taylor 1955), 1965-1966(Sobey et al 1973) and 1977-1978(Copson et al 1981. It is important to note that rabbit numbers have only recently returned to near pre-Myxoma levels and that the pre-Myxoma period was also a time when cat numbers were not managed.…”

Section: Rabbits and Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cats, rabbits, Myxoma virus, and vegetation on Macquarie Island: a comment on Bergstrom et al. (2009)

Dowding¹,

Murphy

Springer

et al. 2009

Journal of Applied Ecology

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1.Eradication of a single pest species from a multiply invaded island system may have unpredicted and detrimental impacts. Bergstrom et al. (2009) describe damage to vegetation following an increase in the number of rabbits on Macquarie Island. They propose that the increase in rabbit numbers was caused solely by eradication of cats. 2. However, their modelling is flawed and their conclusion that cats were controlling rabbit numbers is unsupported. We suggest the increase was because of some combination of four factors: reduced releases of Myxoma virus, abundant food after 20 years of vegetation recovery, release from cat predation and climate variability. 3. Recent high numbers of rabbits on Macquarie Island are not unprecedented; vegetation has been damaged in the past but has recovered. Rabbit numbers appear to be in decline again in the absence of both cats and Myxoma releases, suggesting that other factors can contribute to regulation of rabbit numbers in this system. 4. We do not agree with the implication that pest management could have been better integrated. Eradication techniques for rodents and rabbits on an island the size of Macquarie were unavailable when cat eradication was deemed necessary. The benefits to seabirds of cat eradication have been rapid. Our analysis further highlights the complexity of multiply invaded island ecosystems.

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Section: Rabbits and Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cats, rabbits, Myxoma virus, and vegetation on Macquarie Island: a comment on Bergstrom et al. (2009)

Dowding¹,

Murphy

Springer

et al. 2009

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…Rabbit control work began in the 1960s with trials of 1080 (Johnstone ) and the introduction of the European Rabbit Flea ( Spilopsyllus cuniculi ) (Sobey et al . ). The rabbit myxoma virus ( Myxoma cuniculi ) was successfully introduced in 1978 (Brothers et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Predation on burrowing seabirds by wekas was also very high (Brothers 1984). Rabbit control work began in the 1960s with trials of 1080 (Johnstone 1966) and the introduction of the European Rabbit Flea (Spilopsyllus cuniculi) (Sobey et al 1973). The rabbit myxoma virus (Myxoma cuniculi) was successfully introduced in 1978 (Brothers et al 1982), and rabbits decreased from an estimated 150 000 ) to a variable minimum of 5000-20 000 between 1988 and 1997 (Terauds 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eradication of cats (Felis catus) from subantarctic Macquarie Island

Robinson¹,

Copson²

2013

Eco Management Restoration

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Summary The feral Cat (Felis catus) population on Macquarie Island was targeted for eradication between 1996 and 2002, with 761 cats captured during this period. After 22 years of cat control from 1974 integrated with control programmes for other pests, effort intensified for 2 years before a dedicated eradication programme began in 1998. The primary knock‐down for the eradication used cage trapping and shooting, with most surviving cats captured with leg‐hold traps. A total of 6298 field days and 216 574 trap nights were recorded in this operation. Factors contributing to the success of the programme included extensive planning, increased staff numbers at critical times, better access to remote areas of the island, introduction of leg‐hold traps, sufficient operational funding and good collaboration between government agencies operating on the island. The programme would have benefited from earlier deployment of detector dogs and better posteradication monitoring of a broader range of native species impacted by cats. The successful eradication of cats from Macquarie Island, being the second largest achieved to date, provides valuable experience for cat eradication attempts on other large remote islands. This programme relied on ground‐based techniques with minimal use of poisons and provides possible options for sites where broad‐scale poisoning, or where aerial distribution of poisons, cannot be used.

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“…Of course, we must also remember that only half of the rabbit population (females) is reproductive. K 150,000-225,000 [24]; Terauds (2009) as cited in [21] Carrying capacity of rabbit population (rabbits) The rabbit population was estimated at 150,000 in 1966 (before Myxomatosis but with cat predation). Estimates of the rabbit population in 1978 right before virus release range from 130,000-150,000 [1,4].…”

Section: Symbol Valuementioning

confidence: 99%

Cats, Rabbits, Birds, and Viruses, Oh My! Modelling the Conservative Implications of a Complex Virus Release in a Predator-Prey System

Soucy¹

2017

SIURO

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Abstract. Mathematical models have proven useful in planning conservation efforts for threatened species. In this paper, we develop a model based on the Macquarie Island ecosystem, where native seabirds were threatened by invasive pest species. In particular, European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) destroyed seabird nesting sites, while feral cats (Felis catus) preferentially hunted rabbits but also consumed seabirds. Management strategies included releasing a rabbit-killing disease and shooting feral cats. We investigate the interactions between species in the ecosystem as well as conservation practices using analytical techniques such as the basic reproductive ratio (R 0 ) and partial rank correlation coefficient analysis. The results of this study reveal that the important factors to disease establishment change depending on the ecological interactions present in the system. Additionally, we show that the interaction between disease and predation sometimes produces surprising outcomes. Overall, the results of the study demonstrate the need for mathematical modelling in the conservation process in order to anticipate the complex responses of an ecosystem to management practices. We conclude with a brief list of considerations for conservation planners dealing with ecologically complex systems in the future.

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Macquarie Island: the introduction of the European rabbit flea Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale) as a possible vector for myxomatosis

Abstract: The European rabbit flea Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale) was first released on Macquarie Island in December 1968. The flea has survived and bred on the island and about 30% of the rabbits sampled from the original release area in January 1972 were flea-infested.

Cited by 25 publications

References 11 publications

Cats, rabbits, Myxoma virus, and vegetation on Macquarie Island: a comment on Bergstrom et al. (2009)

Cats, rabbits, Myxoma virus, and vegetation on Macquarie Island: a comment on Bergstrom et al. (2009)

Eradication of cats (Felis catus) from subantarctic Macquarie Island

Cats, Rabbits, Birds, and Viruses, Oh My! Modelling the Conservative Implications of a Complex Virus Release in a Predator-Prey System

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