rat spill

n. the accidental importation of rats to a rat-free island (or, rarely, to any rat-free piece of land). Subjects: English, Animals, Insects, & Birds, Environment

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Citations: 1991 AP (Ot. 10) “Federal Biologist Warns of ‘Rat Spill’” (in Anchorage, Alaska): (title) 1999 AP (Jan. 18) “Pribilofs raise rodent defense” (in Anchorage, Alaska): The agency and local officials have also set up a rat spill-response team to spring into action when there’s a shipwreck. 2000 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service (Nov. 17) “Final Environmental Impact Statement for Anacapa Island Restoration Plan…Record of Decision” p. 4: Reacting to a “rat-spill” from a shipwreck or some other introduction requires a rapid response, as does any appearance on Anacapa Island following eradication, or on Prince, Sutil and Santa Barbara Islands. 2004 Sarah Kershaw @ St. Paul, Alaska New York Times (Dec. 28) “In Alaskan Islands, Fearing a Spill That Comes on Legs”: But worse than an oil spill, in the view of wildlife biologists working furiously to protect millions of exotic animals, the freighter, if it got close enough, could cause an even greater environmental calamity: a rat spill.…Scientists say they now fear rat spills more than oil spills, which can eventually be cleaned up.

Posted 4 Jan 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend