Rats were one of the first species introduced (accidentally) to St. Martin by Europeans, perhaps even before the first French and Dutch settled here. They traveled the world and have caused trouble for native species everywhere they go, particularly islands. On St. Martin, we have two species, the black rat and the brown, or Norway rat. They are a threat to native reptiles and birds, particularly to those who nest on the ground, like shorebirds, terns and tropicbirds. They are also a serious pest. During the late 1800s, there was apparently a bounty of a bottle of rum for anyone who turned in 100 rat tails in an attempt to reduce the amount of damage they did to sugar cane. Of course, though we may hate them, it’s our fault they’re here. I don’t think they’ve ever been successfully eradicated from a populated island, but on Dog Island, near Anguilla, they are currently trying to eradicate them in order to help the thousands of sea birds that nest there.
To learn more about rats, and their impact on St. Martin, have a listen to “Rats” by Orange Grove: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opfLQy2BB5Q
