Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00775:reg:18:p6
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00775
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 18 (pt 6/152)
Character Range: 55580–58534

eggs and have caused localised extinctions. Goats (Capra hircus), cattle (Bos spp.) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) alter breeding areas making them unsuitable for breeding or reducing breeding success. On Bird Island, Seychelles, the invasion of Yellow Crazy Ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) led to an estimated 60,000 pairs of Sooty Tern (Onchoprion fuscatus), which nest in colonies on the ground, being displaced from their nesting sites and also caused the death of White Tern (Gygis alba) chicks (Feare 1999). Yellow Crazy Ants may also take over nesting sites of known tree-hollow nesting birds and the constant acid spraying behaviour of crazy ants causes injuries to seabird chicks. The Yellow Crazy Ant has been identified as a threat to breeding seabirds and other biological assets on Christmas Island. Control efforts are underway to reduce the impacts on wildlife including baiting and biological control.
The solution seems simple – eradication of invasive species – but the implementation of such programs is logistically difficult and expensive.

Wildlife Conservation Plan for Seabirds 23

 Threats

One of Australia's most successful programs to eradicate invasive species from an island was the Macquarie Island Pest Eradication Project. Since its discovery, a number of invasive invertebrates, mammal and bird species had been introduced to Macquarie Island. Some have had serious impacts on the island's native flora and fauna. Horses (Equus caballus), donkeys (E. asinus), pigs, cattle, goats, dogs and sheep (Ovis aries) were the first to be removed or die out naturally, and between 1989 and 2000, Weka (Gallirallus australis) and cats were eradicated. A major project to remove the last remaining mammal species - rabbits, Black Rats (Rattus rattus) and House Mice (Mus musculus) was undertaken between 2007 and 2014 thanks to a joint commitment of $24.7 million by the Australian and Tasmanian Governments to fund the eradication project. Aerial baiting of the entire island was completed in July 2011, followed by intensive monitoring by hunters and highly trained detection dogs, to detect and dispatch any surviving individuals. In April 2014, after nearly three years of monitoring with no sign of surviving individual rabbits, rats or mice, the project was declared a success. With the removal of rabbits and the resulting intensive grazing pressure, the island's vegetation is rapidly rebounding. Seabirds, which had suffered predation of eggs and chicks by rats, are also returning in numerous areas.
Another conservation success due to an island eradication program is the recovery of the threatened Gould's Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera) on NSW's Cabbage Tree Island. In 1989 it was the sole Australian breeding site with just 250 breeding pairs. Adults were being killed by native Pied Currawongs (Strepera graculina) because rabbits had eaten out the understorey. Chicks were also becoming entangled in the