Excluding Nontarget Species from Brown Tree Snake, Boiga irregularis (Reptilia: Colubridae), Bait Stations: Experimental Tests of Station Design and Placement.
Date
2011-01
Contributor
Advisor
Department
Instructor
Depositor
Speaker
Researcher
Consultant
Interviewer
Narrator
Transcriber
Annotator
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Honolulu, University of Hawaii
Volume
Number/Issue
Starting Page
Ending Page
Alternative Title
Abstract
Bait stations with toxic baits are an emerging technology for eradication of the invasive brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) on Guam, yet potential interferences by nontarget species are largely unknown. We tested the efficacies of three bait station designs together with three commonly used station support structures to exclude nonnative rats (roof rat, Rattus rattus; Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus; Polynesian rat, Rattus exulans) and native coconut crabs (Birgus latro). When directly presented, all species readily consumed the dead neonatal mouse baits (nontoxic) including those replicating decomposing baits in the field. When bait stations were made easily accessible by placement near ground level, all rat species were able to enter all station types, but some individual roof rats and Norway rats exhibited apparent neophobia. When stations were placed up on support structures, simulating those in the field (P1 m above ground level), numbers of station accessions by roof rats and Norway rats remained essentially unchanged, but Polynesian rats then showed almost no inclination to enter stations. However, ability to access entrances of stations ( but not interiors) when on support structures was extremely high for roof rats and appreciable for the other rat species, including Polynesians. The station type currently in widest use, when placed on chain-link cyclone fence, had the highest probability of accession.Crabs readily accessed station entrances but never interiors. The two downward-angled station designs, when placed in simulated vegetation, had the lowest probabilities of accession. In areas where nontarget species are a concern, we recommend use of either of the downward-angled station designs and suspension from vegetation wherever possible.
Description
v. ill. 23 cm.
Quarterly
Quarterly
Keywords
Natural history--Periodicals., Science--Periodicals, Natural history--Pacific Area--Periodicals.
Citation
Mathies T, Scarpino R, Levine BA, Clark C, Savidge JA. Excluding Nontarget Species from Brown Tree Snake, Boiga irregularis (Reptilia: Colubridae), Bait Stations: Experimental Tests of Station Design and Placement. Pac Sci 65(1): 41-58.
Extent
18 p.
Format
Geographic Location
Time Period
Related To
Related To (URI)
Table of Contents
Rights
Rights Holder
Local Contexts
Collections
Email libraryada-l@lists.hawaii.edu if you need this content in ADA-compliant format.