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Restoration Activities
Case: Montrose/PV Shelf, CA

Seabird Restoration:
Restore Seabirds to San Nicolas Island

Background

The goal of this action is to restore western gull and Brandt’s cormorant colonies on the U.S. Navy–owned San Nicolas Island by removing feral cats. Eggshell thinning and/or elevated levels of DDTs were documented in the eggs of both of these species in the Southern California Bight. In addition to seabirds, San Nicolas Island supports a large number of endemic or sensitive species, including at least 20 plant species, 25 invertebrates, one reptile, three birds, and two mammals.

Introduced predators, particularly feral cats and rats, are one of the greatest threats to seabird populations on islands. Feral cats are directly responsible for a number of extinctions and extirpations on islands across multiple taxa. The U.S. Navy has funded limited feral cat removal on San Nicolas Island in the past to protect threatened and endangered species and sensitive seabird colonies. This action includes expanding these efforts with the goal of completely removing feral cats from the island.

The successful removal of feral cats from the island will benefit nesting seabirds, the State-threatened San Nicolas Island fox, the federally threatened island night lizard, and the federally threatened western snowy plover.

Project Updates

  • In 2008 and 2009, MSRP and other project partners worked closely with The Humane Society of the United States (The HSUS) in the planning of this project. Find out more.
  • From November 2008-January 2009, the project partners and The HSUS tested various trapping methods and the feasibility of removing the feral cats from the island.
  • In late June 2009, the project officially began.
  • From June-December 2009, 52 cats and 10 kittens were transferred to The HSUS and relocated to a feral cat sanctuary at The Fund for Animals Wildlife Center in Ramona, California. The cats will live out the remainder of their lives at the sanctuary and the kittens will be adopted.
  • In 2010, efforts will continue to remove the remaining feral cats from the island.

Project Reports

Annual Report-Island Fox Care and Monitoring, 2009

Annual Report-Removal of feral cats from San Nicolas Island, 2009

Seabird Restoration Project Benefits Wildlife and Gives Feral Cats a Second Chance -Jane Hendron (USFWS), March 2010

The Final Environmental Assessment was completed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Navy in April 2009 and is available for download.

San Nicolas Project Final EA
FWS Signed FONSI
Navy Signed FONSI
San Nicolas Project Fact Sheet
San Nicolas Island Restoration Project FAQ’s



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Logo - Montrose Settlement Restoration Program (MSRP) - Restoring Natural Resources Harmed by DDTs and PCBs

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