Rats Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Rodents

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 2005 On refuge land on Unalaska Is.

Rat Infested Shipwreck Chil Bo San #6 Unalaska Island 1992

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. Paul 6 - 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 Modification Limits Rodents

Store Foods Out Of Reach Properly Control Garbage

Control Rodent Numbers with Snap traps and poison

Rodent Prevention Kits Given to Ships

Newspaper Ad Harbor Poster

We Want To Hear From You Please 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 Alaska Maritime Refuge 907 -226 -4606 Poppy_Benson@fws. gov Terry Johnson Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program 907 -235 -5643 rftlj@uaf. edu