In a rather extreme but much required solution for pest control, conservationists in South Africa are planning to bomb a remote island to safeguard the albatrosses and other seabird species.
While it might be difficult to believe that bombing an island can save a bird species, it is important to note that the bombs will be directed toward the mice and not the avian species on the island.
Marion Island, situated some 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometers) away from Cape Town, in the Indian Ocean is home to a vast variety of birds.
However, the island is also home to a large number of rodents, who, after feasting on eggs and other insects for food, have now turned to harming albatross chicks, adults, and other endangered or threatened bird species.
The mice have gotten so emboldened that in some instances they have started attacking fully-grown birds while they are resting in their nests, leading to a rather gruesome and often fatal end.
The bird species, unable to defend themselves from territorial threats, are helpless in this battle and, therefore, need assistance from humans, according to the conservationists.
Saving albatross from mice
The Wandering Albatross is a majestic bird with the largest recorded wingspan (11.5 feet) in the world. However, its impressive wingspan and prowess in flying do not help them when they are facing threats on the land – like mice.
Marion Island, according to estimates, is home to a quarter of the world’s total population of albatross. It is an important site for the beautiful birds.
According to a report by Watauga Democrat , mice were introduced on the island in the early 1800s and have continued their uncontrolled growth since then. The situation had turned so bad by the mid-1900s that five cats were introduced to get rid of the rodents.
However, the outcome was not as expected because the cats also started hunting the birds. The number of felines had also swelled to approximately 2,000, and the last of them were ultimately removed by the end of 1991.
The situation has continued to deteriorate ever since and has reached a critical point now, the conservationists say.
The Mouse-Free Marion Project
The Mouse-Free Marion pro ject is a dedicated conservation campaign that aims to save all the bird species, which call the island their home.
According to the project’s website, a total of 19 of the 29 bird species on Marion Island will become locally extinct if invasive mice are not eradicated.
Through research and gaining insights from past experiences, the conservationists have come up with a plan to eradicate the mice by using helicopters to spread rodenticide bait across the entire island.
The strategy is to bomb every part of the island with rodenticide bait so that every single mouse gets a chance to consume the lethal dose.
“Decades of rigorous research and field experience have resulted in a specially crafted rodenticide bait that mice find irresistible. Bait pellets are robust enough to be dispersed aerially from a baiting bucket and remain potent and palatable long enough in severe weather conditions to be consumed by mice,” the project’s website states .
It goes on to add that the bait’s potency is carefully calibrated to avoid posing long-term risks to other species and to the environment.
Moreover, after the initial application, a second application will occur to ensure comprehensive exposure of every mouse to a lethal dose of the bait.
The campaign seeks to raise $29 million for the bombing mission which will cover every part of the 116 square miles area of the island – including mountains, ridges, valleys, lava fields.
The plan is to carry out the bombing in the winter of 2027, when the food resources for mice are scarce as most of the bird species migrate during that phase.
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