ISLAND'S SEABIRD NUMBERS BOOSTED BY CONTROVERSIAL 'SLAUGHTER' OF ITS RATS

Lundy Island - now believed to  to be rid of rats (photo: Landmark Trust)

A CONTROVERSIAL cull of black rats has been credited with tripling the number of nesting seabirds on the island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel.

When the initiative was announced in 2002, it sparked opposition from the welfare charity, Animal Aid, who described "slaughter in the name of conservation as inhumane and a waste of resources."

Said a spokesman "The use of poison is inhumane, and there is a real possibility that other species might be attracted to the bait."

The project was initiated jointly by Natural England, the Landmark Trust, the National Trust and the RSPB who blamed black rats - unwittingly imported from shipwrecks or boats visiting the island - for feeding on the eggs and chicks of burrowing seabird nesters such as puffins and Manx shearwaters, with devastating breeding consequences.

By 2006, Lundy was declared "rat-free" since when seabirds have tripled to a current population of about 21,000 birds

Manx shearwater have increased to 5,504 pairs (from 297 pairs in 2001) and puffins to 375 birds (from fewer than 20 in 2001).

In a statement this week, Helen Booker, an RSPB conservation officer, said: “This clearly shows how quickly and positively seabirds respond to the removal of non-native predators.

"We had anticipated major population increases when the project was launched, but the scale of this recovery has far exceeded our expectations.

“The partners are grateful for all the support we have had over the years from a huge team of volunteers without which both the work to eradicate the rats and our knowledge of the seabirds’ recovery simply would not have been possible”.

Puffin (illustration courtesy of wildlife artist Ann Williams) 

The warden on Lundy, Dean Jones, agreed “It is exciting to see this level of recovery in Manx shearwaters, one of our most important seabirds.

"In spring the island comes alive at night with the sound of these amazing birds. The increases in puffins, guillemots and razorbills is also very encouraging for the future of seabirds on Lundy and we are maintaining our vigilance to ensure rats cannot return to the island.”

Meanwhile, Natural England ornithologist Tim Frayling commented: “Lundy Island is home to one of the most important seabird colonies in England, so it is fantastic to see such a revival in numbers.

“The current challenges facing wildlife are huge, but this remarkable increase demonstrates that wildlife recovery can be achieved by partnerships and people combining expertise working together."

                                              

Black rat - culled to extinction on Lundy