articles.latimes.com— In the 1800s, sailors brought rats, then cats, then rabbits to sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island, hurting native species. Attempts to reverse the damage failed. Now it's all-out scientific war.
May 30, 2009View in Crawl 4
This is such a fabulous story. An example of how the natural order of things gets so bollixed up. I hope this new strategy works. Let's see, kill all the rabbits, rats and mice. Because all the birds have been devoured by the cats. And, all the cats have now all been shot. That should do it! Sarah Palin are you listening? Fabulously absurd.
Habitat is critical to the survival of two albatross species and apparently it's the only island in the world composed entirely of oceanic crust and rocks from the mantle, deep beneath the earth’s surface. Sixteen species of fauna and one plant species found on Macquarie Island are listed on the Tasmanian Threatened Species List.
Guess the "successful" interference depends on whether or not you live in North America and like honey or earthworms. Both are invasive species brought from Europe by man. Prior to earthworms being introduced, the woods of North America were not briar infested around the edges as they are now, the leaves made a two or three foot deep mulch that killed everything under the trees, any animal that "lived" in a forest lived off trees (beechmast, bark, various nuts) or grazed in clearings made by wild fires. It was a very different ecology. Wheat, peas, oats and quite a few other plants are also invaders from Europe, as is the Norway rat and, IIRC, house cats, horses and cattle. Pick your side of that debate, it will never end.
janjammMay 30, 2009
This is such a fabulous story. An example of how the natural order of things gets so bollixed up. I hope this new strategy works. Let's see, kill all the rabbits, rats and mice. Because all the birds have been devoured by the cats. And, all the cats have now all been shot. That should do it! Sarah Palin are you listening? Fabulously absurd.
pingpantsMay 31, 2009
Habitat is critical to the survival of two albatross species and apparently it's the only island in the world composed entirely of oceanic crust and rocks from the mantle, deep beneath the earth’s surface. Sixteen species of fauna and one plant species found on Macquarie Island are listed on the Tasmanian Threatened Species List.
mayormccheapoMay 31, 2009
They call it "balance" for a reason.
fenceratpolyMay 31, 2009
and don't forget that the island's fur seals, elephant seals and penguins were also killed for fur and blubber.
madsatyristMay 31, 2009
Guess the "successful" interference depends on whether or not you live in North America and like honey or earthworms. Both are invasive species brought from Europe by man. Prior to earthworms being introduced, the woods of North America were not briar infested around the edges as they are now, the leaves made a two or three foot deep mulch that killed everything under the trees, any animal that "lived" in a forest lived off trees (beechmast, bark, various nuts) or grazed in clearings made by wild fires. It was a very different ecology. Wheat, peas, oats and quite a few other plants are also invaders from Europe, as is the Norway rat and, IIRC, house cats, horses and cattle. Pick your side of that debate, it will never end.