Attempts to eradicate Kiribati rat threat
Updated
A team of scientists is on its way to the remote Phoenix Islands Protected Area in Kiribati, to try to eradicate rats that are threatening populations of indigenous seabirds.
The Pacific News Service reports the scientists who are funded by the New Zealand Government, will try and eliminate the the huge numbers of rats from three atolls that serve as breeding grounds for millions of seabirds.
The rats - which can eat eggs, kill nestlings, and devour food sources for birds - have triggered a dramatic decline in 11 species of birds and the scientists say another seven are threatened
Dr Ray Pierce, the expedition's leader, says if this eradication process works they will expand it to other atolls affected by huge numbers of vermin.
Kiribati,
