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Rat on the Run

In some cities, rats are just annoying pests. But on St. Paul Island in Alaska, the rodents can mean disaster. So when someone reported a possible rat sighting in June, the 400 residents of the island sprang into action. 

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St. Paul Island is in the Bering Sea, about 300 miles off the coast of mainland Alaska.

St. Paul is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including fur seals and rare seabirds. Officials are constantly on the lookout for rats, which can sneak onto St. Paul on ships. Even one rat can disturb the island’s entire ecosystem by spreading disease and feasting on seabirds’ eggs and chicks.

After the June sighting, a “rat strike team” began searching for the rodent using motion-sensor cameras and special lights that can detect rat urine. The team has also set traps with peanut butter as bait. Officials are worried that the rat could be pregnant.

“Rats will keep breeding and doing harm to wildlife forever,” says Steve Delehanty. He’s a manager at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. 

As Scholastic News went to press, the rat still hadn’t been found. The last time a rat was seen on St. Paul Island, in 2018, it was on the loose for nearly a year. The residents of St. Paul won’t stop until they catch this one.

“They want to keep their island healthy and full of wild birds,” says Delehanty.

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