Managing the Effects of Introduced Predators on Hawaiian Endangered Seabirds

Raine, André F.; Driskill, Scott; Vynne, Megan; Harvey, Derek; Pias, Kyle E.

doi:10.1002/jwmg.21824

Cited by 31 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Carlile et al 2003). Limiting the impacts of invasive alien species (Jones et al 2016, Brooke et al 2018, Raine et al 2020b) and protecting and enhancing nest sites (Madeiros et al 2014, Gummer et al 2015 have addressed direct threats at colonies and have helped stabilize population trends. However, detailed information is limited for many of these species at sea (Grémillet & Boulinier 2009), where additional threats have yet to be identified.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine distribution and foraging habitat highlight potential threats at sea for the Endangered Bermuda petrel Pterodroma cahow

Raine¹,

Gjerdrum²,

Pratte³

et al. 2021

Endang. Species. Res.

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Marine spatial planning relies on detailed spatial information of marine areas to ensure effective conservation of species. To enhance our understanding of marine habitat use by the highly pelagic Bermuda petrel Pterodroma cahow, we deployed GPS tags on 6 chick-rearing adults in April 2019 and constructed a habitat suitability model using locations classified as foraging to explore functional responses to a selection of marine environmental variables. We defined 15 trips for 5 individuals, ranging from 1−6 trips per bird, that included both short and long foraging excursions indicative of a dual foraging strategy that optimizes chick feeding and self maintenance. The maximum distance birds flew from Bermuda during foraging trips ranged from 61 to 2513 km (total trip lengths: 186−14 051 km). Behaviourally deduced foraging habitat was best predicted at shorter distances from the colony, under warmer sea surface temperature, greater sea surface height, and in deeper water compared to transiting locations; our model results indicated that suitable foraging habitat exists beyond the core home range of the population, as far north as the highly productive Gulf Stream frontal system, and within the territorial waters of both the USA and Canada. Our results are crucial to inform management decisions and international conservation efforts by better identifying potential threats encountered at sea by this globally rare seabird and highlighting jurisdictions potentially responsible for mitigating those threats.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine distribution and foraging habitat highlight potential threats at sea for the Endangered Bermuda petrel Pterodroma cahow

Raine¹,

Gjerdrum²,

Pratte³

et al. 2021

Endang. Species. Res.

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show abstract

“…The introduction of invasive rats (R. exulans) and rabbits led to the extirpation of some of these seabird species and depressed the populations of others. Many of these species were also impacted by invasive mammals at other breeding colonies in the Hawaiian Islands, including those on high elevation islands in the main Hawaiian Islands [169]. As a result, most of these seabird species nest on the low elevation Northwestern Hawaiian Islands where invasive mammals were absent but the risk of inundation due to extreme weather events and sea-level rise is high [139,170].…”

Section: Invasive Mammal Eradication and The Creation Of Refugiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Invasive Mammal Eradications from Islands Support Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation?

Kappes

Benkwitt

Spatz

et al. 2021

Climate

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Climate change represents a planetary emergency that is exacerbating the loss of native biodiversity. In response, efforts promoting climate change adaptation strategies that improve ecosystem resilience and/or mitigate climate impacts are paramount. Invasive Alien Species are a key threat to islands globally, where strategies such as preventing establishment (biosecurity), and eradication, especially invasive mammals, have proven effective for reducing native biodiversity loss and can also advance ecosystem resilience and create refugia for native species at risk from climate change. Furthermore, there is growing evidence that successful eradications may also contribute to mitigating climate change. Given the cross-sector potential for eradications to reduce climate impacts alongside native biodiversity conservation, we sought to understand when conservation managers and funders explicitly sought to use or fund the eradication of invasive mammals from islands to achieve positive climate outcomes. To provide context, we first summarized available literature of the synergistic relationship between invasive species and climate change, including case studies where invasive mammal eradications served to meet climate adaptation or mitigation solutions. Second, we conducted a systematic review of the literature and eradication-related conference proceedings to identify when these synergistic effects of climate and invasive species were explicitly addressed through eradication practices. Third, we reviewed projects from four large funding entities known to support climate change solutions and/or native biodiversity conservation efforts and identified when eradications were funded in a climate change context. The combined results of our case study summary paired with systematic reviews found that, although eradicating invasive mammals from islands is an effective climate adaptation strategy, island eradications are poorly represented within the climate change adaptation and mitigation funding framework. We believe this is a lost opportunity and encourage eradication practitioners and funders of climate change adaptation to leverage this extremely effective nature-based tool into positive conservation and climate resilience solutions.

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“…The largest documented primarily non-lethal cat removal campaign took 3 years and $2.9 M to eliminate 66 cats from San Nicolas Island (57 km 2 area primarily using padded leg-hold traps) ( 22 ). Where complete eradication and exclusion of new immigration is not possible, significant ongoing investment is required on top of initial costs ( 23 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking the Animal Shelter's Role in Free-Roaming Cat Management

Hurley

Levy

2022

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Substantial societal investment is made in the management of free-roaming cats by various methods, with goals of such programs commonly including wildlife conservation, public health protection, nuisance abatement, and/or promotion of cat health and welfare. While there has been a degree of controversy over some of the tactics employed, there is widespread agreement that any method must be scientifically based and sufficiently focused, intensive and sustained in order to succeed. The vast majority of free-roaming cat management in communities takes place through local animal shelters. Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, this consisted primarily of ad hoc admission of cats captured by members of the public, with euthanasia being the most common outcome. In North America alone, hundreds of millions of cats have been impounded and euthanized and billions of dollars invested in such programs. Given the reliance on this model to achieve important societal goals, it is surprising that there has been an almost complete lack of published research evaluating its success. Wildlife conservation and public health protection will be better served when debate about the merits and pitfalls of methods such as Trap-Neuter-Return is grounded in the context of realistically achievable alternatives. Where no perfect answer exists, an understanding of the potential strengths and shortcomings of each available strategy will support the greatest possible mitigation of harm—the best, if still imperfect, solution. Animal shelter function will also benefit by discontinuing investment in methods that are ineffective as well as potentially ethically problematic. This will allow the redirection of resources to more promising strategies for management of cats as well as investment in other important animal shelter functions. To this end, this article reviews evidence regarding the potential effectiveness of the three possible shelter-based strategies for free-roaming cat management: the traditional approach of ad hoc removal by admission to the shelter; admission to the shelter followed by sterilization and return to the location found; and leaving cats in place with or without referral to mitigation strategies or services provided by other agencies.

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Managing the Effects of Introduced Predators on Hawaiian Endangered Seabirds

Cited by 31 publications

References 54 publications

Marine distribution and foraging habitat highlight potential threats at sea for the Endangered Bermuda petrel Pterodroma cahow

Marine distribution and foraging habitat highlight potential threats at sea for the Endangered Bermuda petrel Pterodroma cahow

Do Invasive Mammal Eradications from Islands Support Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation?

Rethinking the Animal Shelter's Role in Free-Roaming Cat Management

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