21 MARCH 2018

 

STENAPA wants bait boxes with poison removed

Oranjestad – Sint Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) wants the bait boxes with poison to kill rats in The Quill National Park to be removed. Given the insufficient knowledge about the impact the poison poses to Statia’s people and environment, STENAPA urges the researchers to remove the bait stations until further information can be obtained. The Board of STENAPA has taken this decision in its latest meeting.

The bait boxes with poison were set up as part of a rat control project. This project raised serious concerns among the Statian community about the impact on land crabs. Land crabs can consume the poison, but do not die. However, since people regularly consume crabs, there is a possibility that they may get ill as a result of secondary poisoning.

The board of STENAPA is fully aware of the negative impact rats pose to the island, but there are too many “unanswered questions” about the negative effects of the poison. The board is open to the use of live rat traps on The Quill as an alternative tool to get rid of the rats.

The discussion about the land crabs has caused STENAPA to initiate a study to bring clarity about the status and numbers of land crabs and the crab industry on Sint Eustatius. To date little is known about the sustainability of harvesting and exporting of land crabs.