Arboreal activity of invasive rodents: conservation implications for the control of an island pest

Alexandra H. Nance; Melinda Wilson; Phoebe A. Burns; Carly N. Cook; Rohan H. Clarke

doi:10.1071/PC23011

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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Arboreal activity of invasive rodents: conservation implications for the control of an island pest

Alexandra H. Nance

^A ^B ^* , Melinda Wilson ^B , Phoebe A. Burns

^C , Carly N. Cook

^A and Rohan H. Clarke

^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, Vic 3800, Australia.

^B Parks Australia, Norfolk Island National Park and Botanic Garden, Norfolk Island, PO Box 310, Norfolk Island, NSW 2899, Australia.

^C Zoos Victoria, Wildlife Conservation and Science, Parkville, Vic., Australia.

^* Correspondence to: allie.nance@dcceew.gov.au

Handling Editor: Tim Doherty

Pacific Conservation Biology 30, PC23011 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC23011

Submitted: 23 February 2023 Accepted: 5 October 2023 Published: 26 October 2023

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

Invasive rodents pose a substantial threat to biodiversity and are a leading cause of species decline and extinction on islands. Population suppression using ground-based methods is common practice, though arboreal behaviour of rodents may render control programs less effective.

Aims

We aimed to quantify species-specific invasive rodent activity (Rattus rattus, R. exulans, Mus musculus) across three forest strata to determine the prevalence of arboreal rodent behaviour in a system that has undergone extensive long-term rodent baiting, and therefore assess the suitability of solely ground-based baiting in this system.

Methods

We calculated rodent presence at the ground, mid-storey, and canopy using three detection methods (camera traps, chew cards and tracking tunnels) deployed for 30-day periods across three structurally distinct forest types (canopy heights ranged from 3.5 to 16.7 m). We developed continuous rodent activity indices for each method, which we paired with density estimates. Strata-specific species composition was determined using camera trap images.

Key results

Rodent presence was recorded equally across all strata, with R. rattus dominating above-ground strata. Rodent densities differed significantly between forest types, which was largely consistent with activity indices.

Conclusions

Our findings offer an additional explanation for reduced efficacy of long-term ground-based control programs: arboreal behaviour may exacerbate the reduction in efficacy often associated with long-term control.

Implications

Effective management of invasive rodent species on islands is a global conservation challenge. Our findings suggest above-ground control may be required in some long-term suppression programs or eradication campaigns, particularly in the presence of the black rat.

Keywords: black rat, distance sampling, house mouse, invasive species, island conservation, Norfolk Island, Pacific rat, rodent management.

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