No More Pests Mean a Thriving Island!

An eradication effort has made the Cook Islands’ Palmerston Atoll rat-free, allowing indigenous plant and animal species to thrive again.

“Benefits from the rat eradication are already evident. Our food security has improved massively. Fruits like guava, mango, and star fruit are now abundant and free from rat damage. […] Vegetables, especially cucumbers, have seen an astonishing increase in yield,” says Arthur Neale, Cook Islands’ Palmerston Atoll Executive Officer.

Once upon a time, the rat infestation was so bad on the island that crop instability was widespread and local wildlife disappeared. A rat eradication operation was launched in September of 2023, with monitoring officials recently declaring that the island is rat-free after over a year of efforts. It is the first inhabited island within the Cook Islands to receive the title. The achievement has meant the return of much wildlife: the little island is already seeing wood pigeons, red-tailed tropic birds, and a greater abundance of lizards and crabs. The program’s success means that locals can enjoy a more peaceful way of life while local wildlife prospers once more.