What we get with government intervention

Removing cats to protect birds backfires on island
By MICHAEL CASEY, AP Environmental Writer Michael Casey, Ap Environmental Writer
Tue Jan 13, 9:18 am ET

BANGKOK, Thailand – It seemed like a good idea at the time: Remove all the feral cats from a famous Australian island to save the native seabirds.

But the decision to eradicate the felines from Macquarie island allowed the rabbit population to explode and, in turn, destroy much of its fragile vegetation that birds depend on for cover, researchers said Tuesday.

Removing the cats from Macquarie "caused environmental devastation" that will cost authorities 24 million Australian dollars ($16.2 million) to remedy, Dana Bergstrom of the Australian Antarctic Division and her colleagues wrote in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology.

"Our study shows that between 2000 and 2007, there has been widespread ecosystem devastation and decades of conservation effort compromised," Bergstrom said in a statement.

The unintended consequences of the cat-removal project show the dangers of meddling with an ecosystem — even with the best of intentions — without thinking long and hard, the study said.

"The lessons for conservation agencies globally is that interventions should be comprehensive, and include risk assessments to explicitly consider and plan for indirect effects, or face substantial subsequent costs," Bergstrom said.

Paul Harvey time...

Removing one introduced species allowed another introduced species to increase its population. The solution is obvious --- get rid of all the introduced species on the island.

Thus the problem with government intervention.

It's never as simple as what you think.

In additon to the cats and rabbits, there are rats and mice.

Google Rat Island sometime.

Aaron wrote:Thus the problem with government intervention.

It's never as simple as what you think.

In additon to the cats and rabbits, there are rats and mice.

Google Rat Island sometime.

Aaron, I can honestly say that I have forgotten more about introduced species ecology than you will ever know.

bmd wrote:
Aaron, I can honestly say that I have forgotten more about introduced species ecology than you will ever know.

Well then, ..... tell us something about how one should be controlling the Illegal Immigrant species?




.

If that's the case BMD then why did you make the stupid statement you did in your first post?

Aaron wrote:If that's the case BMD then why did you make the stupid statement you did in your first post?

What was stupid about it? Once exotic species become established, if they are causing serious environmental problems, they should be eradicated. Unfortunately, this isn't always possible. Islands present one of the few areas where eradication of invasive spp, particularly larger spp such as vertebrates, is feasible.

Really? It's that simple, huh BMD? That's why rats have been on rat island, devasting local birds and have since spread to 16 other Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

I'm sure you knew that at one time but i't part of what you forgot.

Aaron wrote:Really? It's that simple, huh BMD? That's why rats have been on rat island, devasting local birds and have since spread to 16 other Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

I'm sure you knew that at one time but i't part of what you forgot.

I fail to see your point.

Of course you do!!!

So, Aaron, is it possible for you to actually come to the point? (Without insults and and taunts, that is.)

Yes

Sigh.....

Do you know what a SNAFU is?