Rats, <I>Rattus norvegicus</I>, <I>Rattus rattus</I>, <I>Rattus exulans</I>, poisoning, islands, conservation, Stewart Island, home range, movements

Poisoning Rats on Stewart-Island

Poison was used at remote anchorages of southern Stewart Island in spring and summer of 1984/85 to reduce the likelihood of ship rats (Rattus rattus), Norway rats (R. norvegicus) and kiore (R. exulans) boarding fishing boats heading for the Snares Islands. Poison baits were removed at successively slower rates, probably because poisoning had reduced rat numbers.