Rats!!! Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
Mar 31, 2015
Rats!!!
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
Rodents Continue to Spread Diseases
“Rat-borne diseases are thought to have taken more human lives in the last ten centuries than all the casualties from all wars and revolutions ever fought” Gratz 1984
Rat Fleas Carry More Diseases
Rats Cause Fires by Chewing Wires
Wildlife Islands Are Vulnerable to Rats
Rats take: eggs chicks adults
Cache of adult auklets
Great Circle Route Brings Many Ships By Refuge Islands
Shipwrecks Can Introduce Rats
Selendang Ayu – December 2005On refuge land on Unalaska Is.
Chil Bo San #6
Unalaska Island1992
Rat Infested Shipwreck
Some Alaskan ports are rat infested
Dutch Harbor
St. Paul & St. George Have Rat Prevention Programs
1993 – present 6 rats in a million trap nights
Pribilof Islands
St. Paul6 - Rats Killed
2 - Sighting of Fox w/ Rat
1 - Dead Rat Found
2 - Infested Ship Evicted
Integrated Pest Management
• Sanitation (garbage control, etc)
• Clean up cover (harborage for rodents) – trash, clearing brush, grass
• Structural Design & maintenance
• Proper control
Rats Nest in Net Piles – Need to be Shaken Out Before Loaded
Structural ModificationLimits Rodents
Store Foods Out Of Reach
Properly Control Garbage
Control RodentNumbers with
Snap traps and poison
Rodent Prevention Kits Given to Ships
Harbor PosterNewspaper Ad
We Want To Hear From YouPlease fill out questionnaire!
• Do you have rats/house mice?
• Are you worried about rats arriving on ships?
• Are you doing control?
• Do you need help?
• Comments/ideas?
Poppy Benson Terry JohnsonAlaska Maritime Refuge Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program907-226-4606 [email protected] [email protected]