Macquarie Island
The Southern Ocean is one of the last true vast wilderness areas and includes remote islands of global importance, like Macquarie Island.
Australia's World Heritage Macquarie Island, 1500 kms south-east of Tasmania, is home to nearly four million seabirds, provides nesting habitat for four threatened albatross species, and is a breeding ground for about 850,000 pairs of royal penguins.
But Macquarie Island's fragile vegetation and wildlife is under attack from invasive species, especially rabbits and rats. Severe overgrazing caused by over 100,000 rabbits is causing landslides that are destroying seabird nesting habitat. Rats also attack nests to eat eggs and kill both adult birds and chicks.
The Tasmanian Government has developed a $24.6 million plan to eradicate rabbits, rats and mice. On June 4, 2007 The Tasmanian and Commonwealth governments announced they had come to an agreement to fully fund the plan. Given the two year lead time before eradication can begin, it is important that planning occurs quickly so that work can commence by winter 2009.
The decision means that WWF-Australia and Peregrine Adventures can now invest $100,000 pledged for vital infrastructure that will be shipped to Macquarie Island to assist in the eradication effort.
More information
- Macquarie Island blog
- Macquarie Island fact sheet (PDF, 499kb)
- Macquarie Island in Danger report (PDF, 5.27mb)
News
- Today's funding agreement will save Macquarie Island: WWF
- Grey-headed albatross must be upgraded to Endangered: WWF
- Macquarie island rabbit plague: World Heritage management a disgrace
- Ship to set sail and still no decision on Macquarie Island
- World Heritage destroyed on Premier Lennon's watch
- Pay fair share or give World Heritage island to the Commonwealth: WWF
- Only a matter of months left to save Macquarie Island's seabirds
- Australia's grey-headed albatross face extinction on Macquarie Island
