Détails de cette espèce dans Wake Island (Eneen-Kio) Statut: Exotique
Statut d'envahissement: Envahissant
Occurrence: Signalé(e)
Source: SPREP, 2000 Date d'introduction: 1923-51 (King 1973)
Mode d'Introduction: Notes sur l'espèce pour cette localité:
The three islets of this atoll are connected by bridges. Feral cats, black and Pacific rats occur on all three. An endemic rail (Rallus wakensis) became extinct during World War II. There are eight breeding seabird species; seven more bred in the recent past but have been extirpated (King 1973: 101). Bryan (1942) states that the rail, which was more-or-less flightless, and stood eight or nine inches high,"was the only native land bird, and was by far the most interesting species". "Rats prey heavily on Sooty Terns" (King 1973: 101).
The ship rat was introduced to Wake "during the Japanese occupation" in WWII (Dec 1941Sept 1945)... "with devastating effects on birdlife (Fosberg 1959, in Spennemann 1997: 8).
Several sources describe an explosion of rats: "...soon the Americans were driven near to madness by the countless hordes of rats", writes an anonymous source in 1941, describing how rat-catchers poisoned the rats, hermit crabs ate the rats and died, then seabirds ate the crabs and died.
"Following Typhoon Sarah on 15 September 1967 rat populations exploded. `All fresh eggs disappeared within 24 hours and on two occasions I actually saw rats dragging eggs away while the adult bird stood "helplessly" watching. We watched several rats chewing on young birds'..." (R. Schreiber, Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program unpublished fieldnotes, in King 1973: 101).
Wake Island rail, extinct 1945 (King 1981). Notes sur la gestion de l'espèce dans cette localité:
Dernière mise à jour: 3/07/2005 3:10:31 p.m.
|
