Winter (if you can call it that, seeing how warm these first few months were) is slowly coming to an end, with spring on the horizon. Although we’re still far from the peak of fieldwork season, our work on the Lastovo archipelago is already well underway. For the last five years, we have been intensively working on the preservation of the sea birds that nest there: Scopoli’s shearwater (Calonectris Diomedea) and Yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus Yelkouan).

Gregula (foto: Mauricio Stipčević)

Through collaboration with the Public Institution Nature Park Lastovo Islands, we were able to enhance the condition of bird colonies and notably boost the nesting success of petrels, a unique seabird species, by effectively managing the rat population.

Kaukali

Although rat control measures have demonstrated excellent outcomes, our work is not over yet, since rats can return to Scopoli’s shearwater and Yelkouan shearwater colonies at any time. In the following years, as part of the LIFE TETIDE project, our focus will be on preventing rats from reinfesting the petrel colonies.

To achieve this goal, we conducted the initial survey of the key colonies in late February and installed photo traps and bait stations to gather data on potential rat sightings. This information will enable us to promptly notify the relevant public institution of necessary rat removal actions.
Additionally, we have set up specialised traps designed to eliminate newly arrived rats. This collaborative effort with the local public institution is crucial to ensuring the ongoing protection of endangered bird species.

Translated by: Maja Dragojevic