Keeping Macca rodent-free

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The eradication of feral animals from sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island is an amazing success story. Making sure rats and mice never return needs constant vigilance.

At the frontline is a dedicated team of people from Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and Biosecurity Tasmania – and a fox terrier cross called Nui.

Nui (his name a Māori word meaning ‘large’) is an expert at detecting the faintest whiff of rats and mice in cargo containers.

During this year’s resupply of Macquarie Island research station, Nui worked with his handler Sue Robinson to travel to each field hut and check all the cargo that came ashore.


a dog wearing a vest on Macquarie Island
Nui is a fox terrier cross trained to detect the scent of rats and mice. (Photo: Ryan Osland)

two people and dog walking along a track at Macquarie Island

Woman and dog check containers

Two men and a dog on an amphibious vehicle

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