Why an Alaska island is using peanut butter and black lights to find a rat that might not exist

Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A purported sighting of a rat wouldn’t get much attention in many places around the world. But it caused a stir earlier this year on Alaska’s St. Paul Island. The island is part of the Pribilofs, a birding haven sometimes called the “Galapagos of the north” for its diversity of life. Wildlife officials responded quickly, combing through grasses and setting up traps and cameras. And while they have so far not found any evidence of a rat, they are maintaining a heightened level of vigilance. That’s because rats that stow away on vessels can quickly populate on remote islands, devastating bird populations and upending once-vibrant ecosystems.