
At 132 km2, it is the Mexican island with the highest level of endemism. Socorro Island is part of the Revillagigedo National Park, Mexico. To date, Dirk Hartog Island is the largest island in the world where whole-of-island goat (and sheep) eradication has been achieved. We conclude with some shared lessons that may assist similar large-scale eradication campaigns of islands. Ecosystem recovery following the eradication is already apparent with increased vegetation cover and reduced erosion. The monitoring phase of the campaign (aerial detection and ground shoot) cost the least in terms of actual expenses (approximately $187,000) but the most is terms of cost per remaining goat (approximately $14,400). The total cost (AUS$) of the aerial component of the eradication was $1,055,184, an average of $150/goat or $16/ha. We estimated the likelihood that sheep and goats have been successfully eradicated from the island is 99.9% and 96.9%, respectively. To determine the success of the whole-of-island eradication campaign, multiple methods were adopted to locate remaining animals: use of ‘Judas’ goats, monitoring by motion-sensor cameras at water sources and across the island, and recording of tracks and fresh scats to locate any remaining animals.
#Federico mendez compositor free
The island was declared free of ungulates in November 2017. From 2005 to 2017 a total of 16,318 ungulates (5185 sheep and 11,133 goats) were removed from Dirk Hartog Island: 6839 by mustering, 2422 by ground shooting, 7040 by aerial shooting, and finally 17 by follow-up aerial monitoring and ground shooting.
#Federico mendez compositor professional
Long-term commitments of funding and departmental support, staff with diverse skills, and an advisory network of professional people, have been critical components to this large-scale exercise. From 2005, a concerted effort to remove ungulates began with regular destocking, and from 2010 a methodical aerial and ground shooting campaign was undertaken. The motive behind this campaign was to contribute towards the ecological restoration of this former grazing lease. Here, we report on a whole-of-island eradication campaign of ungulates (sheep Ovis aries and goats Capra hircus) from the semi-arid Dirk Hartog Island (63,300 ha) off the western Australian coast. The eradication of ungulates from offshore islands has now become achievable for island managers, with the size and complexity of an island no longer a major impediment to the desired outcome. To date (November 2015), a remarkable ecosystem recovery has been recorded. In June 2014, Socorro Island was declared free of feral sheep. A systematic monitoring program conducted during two years confirmed eradication success. The use of Judas sheep and detection dogs were critical in locating the last remaining sheep. From March 2010 to April 2012 eradication continued using terrestrial hunting 505 sheep were dispatched at this stage. To locate remaining herds, twelve sheep were captured and equipped with radio-collars (Judas sheep). In 2009, 1257 sheep were dispatched using aerial hunting over 35 hours of flight time. In response to these biodiversity threats, feral sheep were removed from Socorro Island. On Socorro, a tropical Mexican island in the Pacific Ocean, feral sheep caused soil compaction and erosion, loss of vegetation, habitat destruction, landscape alterations, and species extinction.



Domestic sheep have been introduced to numerous islands worldwide they became feral and caused indiscriminate impacts on ecosystems. Check arrest records, resumes and CV, social media profiles, places of employment, photos and videos, work history, public records, skilled experts and business records. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. Octavio Mendez Found 306 people in California, Texas and 31 other states
