Officials have announced that Lehua Island in the state of Hawaii has successfully been freed from invasive rats, and talks of recovery plans for native seabirds are now underway. Read more here.
After being declared rat-free in 2021, restoration and monitoring efforts continue on Lehua Islet, a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Kauaʻi.
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Lehua Island has been declared free of invasive rats after decades of eradication efforts, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Wednesday.
Officials monitoring the small, uninhabited island off of Kauai s western coast said getting rid of the rats creates new possibilities for the birds on the island, which has one of the most diverse seabird colonies in the state.
At least 17 seabird species, many of which are threatened, live on Lehua Island.
Research has shown that rat-free islands with thriving seabird colonies have healthier marine systems, the department said. The rats ate seabird chicks and eggs, hurting bird populations.