The “Mouse-free Marion” initiative aims to rid Marion of mice that are endangering biodiversity

NEW DELHI: To combat a mouse infestation that is endangering the region’s unique biodiversity, conservationists are preparing for a big operation on Marion Island, which is close to Antarctica. The goal of the Mouse-Free Marion initiative is to completely remove the mice that were unintentionally brought to the island 200 years ago. Because of the consequences of climate change, these mice are proliferating and causing havoc on the seabird population as well as the pristine environment of the nature reserve.

To guarantee the operation’s success, hundreds of tonnes of rodent poison will be dropped across the island’s 115 square miles using helicopters.
The project manager, Dr. Anton Wolfaardt, emphasised the critical nature of the issue, warning that the whole effort may be in vain if just one pregnant mouse survives. The island’s rising temperatures, which are linked to climate change, have made it easier for the mice to procreate at startling rates. Over a million mice now pose a danger to around thirty bird species, including the well-known wandering albatross, as a result of their population growth, which has had a substantial effect on local bird species.
According to Wolfaardt, mice are very adaptive animals that can reproduce quickly and devour enormous quantities of food. Their prolific reproduction cycle, in which females give birth many times a year, has driven their population to extraordinary heights. The mice are now a serious threat to the island’s bird population because they have switched from eating invertebrates to adult and young seabirds.
The extent of the problem on Marion Island is unparalleled; in 2003, reports of mice consuming seabirds began to surface. Scientists worry that within the next century, 19 species of seabirds might disappear from the island if left left unmanaged. The eradication initiative is seen as an essential step in protecting the island’s environment and native fauna in the future.
The national Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment as well as BirdLife South Africa are two of the many organisations collaborating on this ambitious strategy. The project, which may begin in 2027, needs careful planning and perhaps $25 million in financing to go forward. The eradication procedure, which uses helicopters to disperse rodenticide bait around the island, is meticulously planned to minimise environmental damage and save the island’s fauna and water supplies.
Wolfaardt recalled the 1940s introduction of feral cats, which had a disastrous effect on the seabird population, when thinking back on previous attempts to manage the mouse population. The cats were later removed using focused tactics, which highlighted the difficulties in controlling unwanted animals on islands—also referred to as “extinction epicenters”—by islanders. The island’s ecosystem’s delicate balance and distinctive species might be preserved if the Mouse-Free Marion initiative is successful.
Islands are essential to conservation efforts, but ecological disturbances may potentially seriously affect them. An urgent opportunity for conservation to address a serious danger to Marion Island’s delicate environment is the elimination of mice. Stakeholders are steadfast in their commitment to safeguarding Marion Island’s pristine environment and varied species for the long term as the project moves forward.