BF Newsroom
Well-known member
Concerns are raised that the trawler which ran aground on St Kilda could carry rats, posing a huge threat to sea birds.
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Island fears over 'trawler rats' (BBC News) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter BF Newsroom
- Start date
Bf Newcaster: Thanks for another story here
Now this is one I do not like the sound of at all. It is scarey, and going to the boundaries of disaster for the ground nesting seabirds.
I pray to goodness that the issue with the rats is controlled very quickly, and no stone is left unturned, so to speak.
Well Peewit - i'll help!! 
I wonder how many trawlers do contaion rats - human food and rats not a good mix in my opinion.
I think they will definatly need some traps out - just hope the Animal Rights movement dont get wound up about protecting the site from these vermin.
I wonder how many trawlers do contaion rats - human food and rats not a good mix in my opinion.
I think they will definatly need some traps out - just hope the Animal Rights movement dont get wound up about protecting the site from these vermin.
Well Peewit - i'll help!!
I wonder how many trawlers do contaion rats - human food and rats not a good mix in my opinion.
I think they will definatly need some traps out - just hope the Animal Rights movement dont get wound up about protecting the site from these vermin.
Hi kingwolf
Hello there
Yes, I am wondering the same thing at the moment. Rats are just living, and exploit what they can to survive. They just do what comes naturally. Very clever, bright animals
If the Rats do arrive on the islands it will be another repeat of the hedgehog problem in the Hebridean Islands from a while ago. Not sure if the Rats would be treated with so much compassion though.
The Hedgehogs got a reprieve, and another chance of being relocated again (wonder how that is going). Hedgehogs are not considered native to the Islands, so they had to go for the sakes of the bird population.
The Link for hedgehogs:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/feb/21/conservationandendangeredspecies.travelnews
Yes, I am sure the animal rights people will probably get involved, but again it is a man made problem so we cannot blame the rats at all. A few traps will reveal all soon enough.
So the big question are the Rats considered native to the islands, and allowed to roam free?
So another debate comes forward again.
Hi Henry
True, but if the news has stated a belief, I thought the chances will be high.
Of course I am going by the news as we all do. Not if the matter at hand is a problem to appear in its entirety, or not!
When will I ever learn!!
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thenorthernmonkey
CBWPS Stithians
hopefully they've airlifted the rats to safety (but not to st kilda)
ColinD
Well-known member
I think it would be quite surprising if there had never been rats on St Kilda. After all, there was an occupied village on the island as recently as 1930, and there was an army base on the island until quite recently. Over the centuries there must have been many ships that visited the island with supplies etc., and some must have been ship wrecked. In the past rats would have been much more prevalent on ships than they are now.
Also, does it say which island the trawler was ship wrecked on? St Kilda is the name of a group of islands, not a single island in itself.
Also, does it say which island the trawler was ship wrecked on? St Kilda is the name of a group of islands, not a single island in itself.
ColinD
Well-known member
Just done a bit more research, and found these interesting snippets in the book "St Kilda Revisited" by David Quine.
First of all, regarding the Soay sheep on the island: "How they reached the islands is unknown, but the Vikings probably found them there and gave the name Soay (Sheep Island) to the North West rock........ They may well be the direct descendants of the first sheep introduced to the islands in prehistoric times...."
Also, regarding the St Kilda Field Mouse: "...arrived by accident, possibly in a load of hay.....strongly points to the Vikings as the culprits in introducing the field mouse..."
These extracts show just how long St Kilda has been visited by Humans, and how easy it would have been over the centuries to introduce rats accidently.
None of this makes the possible arrival of rats good news, it just seems incredible that they've never made it up to now. Perhaps the following may explain it and offer some hope. Again, regarding the Field mouse: "Altitude, with its increased exposure to the weather has a marked adverse effect on the distribution......"
First of all, regarding the Soay sheep on the island: "How they reached the islands is unknown, but the Vikings probably found them there and gave the name Soay (Sheep Island) to the North West rock........ They may well be the direct descendants of the first sheep introduced to the islands in prehistoric times...."
Also, regarding the St Kilda Field Mouse: "...arrived by accident, possibly in a load of hay.....strongly points to the Vikings as the culprits in introducing the field mouse..."
These extracts show just how long St Kilda has been visited by Humans, and how easy it would have been over the centuries to introduce rats accidently.
None of this makes the possible arrival of rats good news, it just seems incredible that they've never made it up to now. Perhaps the following may explain it and offer some hope. Again, regarding the Field mouse: "Altitude, with its increased exposure to the weather has a marked adverse effect on the distribution......"
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Just agree with an earlier comment - yes it is good that all the crew are safe and sound.
Interesting info there coigach - it would be interesting research to conduct if the rats do get onto the island how long they last etc.
Hopefully the hedgehog complaints wont be made in defence of the rats. Lets make sure there are a few traps set up and we can do scientific surveying at the same time.
Interesting info there coigach - it would be interesting research to conduct if the rats do get onto the island how long they last etc.
Hopefully the hedgehog complaints wont be made in defence of the rats. Lets make sure there are a few traps set up and we can do scientific surveying at the same time.
AStevenson
Well-known member
The trawler is at the foot of Oiseval - the cliffs on the south end of Village Bay, on Hirta the main island.
No-one knows IF there were rats on the boat (they'd also have to survive potential drowning in F11 gales), however, the management plan for the islands has measures in place to try to deal with incidents like this. There are traps on the islands.
Village Bay is also home to a permanently manned MoD base - chances are if any rats are around they would get seen - or being intelligent beasts likely to try to find some shelter in the base buldings (the St K mice certainly do!!).
As pointed out St Kilda is several islands. Soay, Boreray and Dun (where many of the most at risk petrels and puffins breed) are ilkely to be safe (although Dun is almost connected to Hirta). And it is winter so very few seabirds are around currently and won't be until April, so there's time to sort anything out.
Of course for rats to become an issue you'd need male and female or a pregnant female to get ashore as well.
Cheers,
Andrew
No-one knows IF there were rats on the boat (they'd also have to survive potential drowning in F11 gales), however, the management plan for the islands has measures in place to try to deal with incidents like this. There are traps on the islands.
Village Bay is also home to a permanently manned MoD base - chances are if any rats are around they would get seen - or being intelligent beasts likely to try to find some shelter in the base buldings (the St K mice certainly do!!).
As pointed out St Kilda is several islands. Soay, Boreray and Dun (where many of the most at risk petrels and puffins breed) are ilkely to be safe (although Dun is almost connected to Hirta). And it is winter so very few seabirds are around currently and won't be until April, so there's time to sort anything out.
Of course for rats to become an issue you'd need male and female or a pregnant female to get ashore as well.
Cheers,
Andrew
ColinD
Well-known member
For those who don't know Hirta, Oiseval is a 1000ft cliff. Assuming that there are rats on the boat, they would have quite a climb to get to the top. Faced with a Force 11 gale and a massive swell, just getting onto the lower rocks and staying on would be a major achievement. Their only other option would be to swim the half mile or so to Village Bay and come ashore there, again not any easy option given the conditions. If they swam in the other direction, away from Village Bay, then they are heading for Conachair which is even higher at around 1500 ft.
To give you an idea of the swell, when I visited the islands a few years ago, a friend of mine and the warden landed on the island of Boreray. It was June, in relatively calm seas and the swell was about 10 feet. I dread to think what it would be in a force 11 gale.
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Thank you for the information, guys. Very interesting the read about the area. It sounds quite wild at times.
Rat traps on the island is good. As for the external forces such as the water and the gales. That could be a test for the fittest. :eek!:
Rat traps on the island is good. As for the external forces such as the water and the gales. That could be a test for the fittest. :eek!:
ColinD
Well-known member
It's wild all of the time.
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
I think rats on board a modern trawler would be pretty unlikely.
thenorthernmonkey
CBWPS Stithians
having spent the last 17 years working in a shipyard, i can say that rats on ships is practically a thing of the past. (unless they're japanese whalers of course)
(the crew not the vessel)
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