Natural History Wanderings

A joint operation between the Picairn Island Government and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds used a custom-made small aircraft carrier and two helicopters to attack alien rats. Native species many endemic to Henderson Island including the endangered Henderson Petrel (Pterodroma atrata), were being destroyed by introduced rats who were eating seabird chicks. The aircraft carrier sailed to the remote Henderson Island and launched the helicopters which dropped pellets of rat poison on the island.  If the rats are successfully extinguished, it will allow the native habitat to recover and endemic species may once again thrive. The number of Henderson Petrel had declined to 40,000 pairs from a previous population of millions.

Although it will be two years before it is known if the rat population has been fully exterminated, the early results are very promising.  The chicks of Murphy’s Petrel and Henderson Reed-warbler have successfully fledged in large numbers since the attack on the rats. Read more at Bird Life Aircraft carrier and helicopters come to unique island’s rescue.