Rats are invasive predators that decimate native bird populations by preying on eggs and chicks and altering the native ecosystem in numerous ways. In 2008, we restored habitat on Hawadax Island (formerly Rat Island) to benefit native wildlife. It was the largest rat eradication ever undertaken in the Northern Hemisphere and the first in Alaska. We envision building on this success in a long-term project in the Aleutian Islands. Currently we are doing a feasibility study on islands that are candidates for possible rat control in the future.

Contact Information

Documents

Rapid Response Plan for Invasive Rodents in Alaska (PDF)
Name
Rapid Response Plan for Invasive Rodents in Alaska (PDF)

This document outlines rapid response actions that should be taken to a rodent sighting in a previously rodent-free area or in the event of a potential ship grounding and subsequent rat spill. Eradication of established breeding populations of rodents is a much larger and longer-term effort;...

PDF

Species

Programs

A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 560 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
Program
Washington,DC
A large, wet, furry brown rodent standing on grassy land next to a body of water
Invasive species are non-native plants, animals and other living organisms that thrive in areas where they don’t naturally live and cause (or are likely to cause) economic or environmental harm, or harm to human, animal or plant health. Invasive species degrade, change or displace native habitats,...
Program

Facilities

A pair of Horned Puffins with brightly colored yellow and red bills perches on a cliff near their nest. The cliff in the background is blurred.
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge stretches from the spectacular volcanic islands of the Aleutian chain to the Inside Passage, and north to the Chukchi Sea, providing essential habitat for marine mammals and some 40 million seabirds, representing more than 30 species.
National Wildlife Refuge
Homer,AK

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