The Gough Island Restoration Programme (GIRP) is arguably the most significant eradication project to be implemented in 2021.

Island Conservation was honored to serve as a supporting partner to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RPSB) and the Government of Tristan de Cunha as they undertook this incredibly ambitious project. I was given an awesome opportunity to travel to Gough Island and serve as a member of the GIRP team on the ground. Our goal was to completely eradicate invasive house mice (Mus musculus), which were responsible for the loss of over 2 million seabird chicks and eggs each year.

My journey started when I traveled to Cape Town, South Africa for a planned two-week quarantine. We then boarded the South African icebreaker the S.A Agulhas II for the roughly five-day voyage across more than 1,500 miles to Gough Island. Once we arrived, it was time to start up the helicopters and safely lift several hundred loads of materials onto the island.

Gough Island is a large (6,500 ha /16,000 acres) and rugged island with a max elevation of 910m or 2,990 ft. Each year millions of pairs from over twenty species of seabirds nest on the island, which is also home to two endemic species of land bird.  The lower elevations on the island are covered with tussock, ferns (including the tree-like bog fern), and short trees, while the higher elevations are covered in thick blankets of moss.

The main part of the project occurred during the austral winter, which meant the typical day was cool, rainy, and windy. This means that most of our days were spent waiting for the right conditions for the helicopters to fly and distribute the rodent bait over the entire island. Baiting days were a treat, not only because the work was exciting, but because it also usually meant it was sunny and relatively warm.

It took us nearly two months, but eventually, we had enough good weather days to complete what we had come to do. With that, it was time for many of us to pack up and return home. This was a huge and historic project, and it could never have happened without a massive commitment of support from people well beyond the lucky few who get to be part of the work on the ground. My time on Gough Island was some of the best in my career. 

Links

https://www.goughisland.com/

https://www.rspb.org.uk/

https://www.tristandc.com/index.php

https://www.sanap.ac.za/explore/vessels