There are lots of rats in New Zealand that are causing a bit of havoc to the native wildlife. Here is an overview on New Zealand’s rat problem.
New Zealand, similar to other islands throughout the world, is home to some very unique wildlife. The flora and fauna of these islands contain rare and unusual animals, such as kiwis, keas, and tuataras. Unfortunately, the arrival of people around 750 years ago has been difficult on the natural world. People brought with them plants and animals that hadn’t lived here before and those introduced species have created problems. One of the big three pests in New Zealand are rats!
When/How Did Rats Come To New Zealand?
Rats have been in New Zealand since the first people began arriving here. The first rodents to come, Polynesian rats, most likely came hidden aboard those first canoes.
The early ancestors of the Maori began arriving around 750 years ago. They brought with them several species that hadn’t been her previously, including the kiore or Polynesian rat.
Later, when the early Europeans arrived other species of rats came. Once again ship rats and norway rats were hidden in the boats that came to New Zealand. They arrived with those first Europeans and quickly spread throughout the country in the late 1700s, early 1800s.
Why Are Rats A Problem In New Zealand?
Rats are a major threat to New Zealand’s wildlife and are driving many native species to the brink of extinction.
First of all, rats are omnivores. They eat a lot! To be more specific, they will eat just about anything, including birds, seeds, snails, insects, lizards, and eggs.
They are a serious threat to the native wildlife for two reasons. First, they compete with the native wildlife for food resources. There are a lot of rats and they eat a lot, so they pose serious competition for the native species.
Secondly, they eat the native species. Yep, they will eat native birds, bird eggs, insects, and lizards.
The Ship Rat Is A Serious Threat To Wildlife!
Ships Rat are probably the most common rat in New Zealand and the biggest threat to native wildlife. These rats are common in the podocarp-broadleaf forest. They look similar to the polynesian rat, but they have a very long tail.
Ship rats are able to climb trees, allowing them to eat birds’ eggs and chicks.
Rats Populations Boom During Mast Years!
A mast year is when the forest produces a huge amount of seeds. During mast years the population of rats grows tremendously because of the abundance of food. This leads to booms in the population of stoats and other mustelids.
In the past, the population spikes of rats during a mast year has led to the extinction of a bird species.