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Invasive Species – Ship Rats

Invasive Species – Ship Rats. By; Chance Lewis . Background Information. The ship rat has directly caused or contributed to the extinction of many species of wildlife including birds, small mammals, reptiles, invertebrates, and plants, especially on islands. Ecosystems .

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Invasive Species – Ship Rats

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  1. Invasive Species – Ship Rats By; Chance Lewis

  2. Background Information • The ship rat has directly caused or contributed to the extinction of many species of wildlife including birds, small mammals, reptiles, invertebrates, and plants, especially on islands

  3. Ecosystems • Agricultural areas, coastland, natural forests, planted forests, range/grasslands, riparian zones, ruderal/disturbed, scrub/shrublands, urban areas

  4. Population Sizes • Ranges from 10,000 to 20,000.

  5. Historical References • It was thought that the species had been introduced into Britain during the Crusades but it is now known to have been present since the early Roman period (Yalden, 1999). Its history in the North East is equally long: excavation of a Roman granary in South Shields found that Ship Rats made up as much as 10% of the individuals of the small mammal fauna associated with the location of the granary (Younger, 1994).

  6. What happened ?! • The ship rat is most frequently identified with catastrophic declines of birds on islands. The best documented examples in the Pacific region are Midway Island in the Leeward Islands of Hawai'i, Lord Howe Island and Big South Cape Island, New Zealand. Atkinson (1977) brought together circumstantial evidence suggesting that ship rats, rather than disease, were responsible for the decline of many species of Hawaiian native birds during the 19th century.

  7. Causes • These rats reduce the pH of the soil. This harms plant species by reducing nutrient availability in soil, thus decreasing the probability of seed germination.

  8. People Of Fault • The Romans, that once ruled over the world, brought them here during this time of war and death.

  9. Response • Pesticides, are commonly distributed via aerial spray by helicopter as a method of mass control on islands infested with invasive rat populations. Bait, such as is also used along with colored dyes in order to kill and identify rats for experimental and tracking purposes. Another method to track rats is the use of wired cage traps, which are used along with bait, such as rolled oats and peanut butter, to tag and track rats to determine population sizes through methods like mark-recapture and radio-tracking.

  10. Ecosystems destroyed ! • Agricultural areas, coastland, natural forests, planted forests, range/grasslands, riparian zones, ruderal/disturbed, scrub/shrublands, urban areas

  11. Laws or Regulations • Animal Welfare Act of 1966 - was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 24, 1966. It is the only Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research and exhibition.

  12. Citations • http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=19 • http://www.nhsn.ncl.ac.uk/news/cms/ship-rat/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_rat • http://invasivespeciesireland.com/most-unwanted-species/established/terrestrial/black-rat • http://scribol.com/environment/the-5-worst-invasive-species-in-the-world

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