Species Eradication from Mediterranean Islands Using Biocides: Nature Conservation or Environmental Disaster?

The Island of Montecristo, part of the Tuscan Archipelago, was subjected to an “invasive species” eradication effort co-financed by the European Union under the Life+ “Montecristo 2010” project in 2012. Biocidal agents were utilized in abundance, with the objective of targeting select species of flora and fauna. This included the aerial broadcast of pellets containing brodifacoum to attempt to eradicate the rat population along with the application of several herbicides to eliminate Ailanthus [Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle]. The potential risks and concerns associated with the dispersal of brodifacoum include the mortality of non-target and protected species, including the Montecristo goat (Capra aegagrus Erxleben, 1777). Brodifacoum's environmental persistence has led to concerns regarding its potential for secondary, tertiary, and subsequent poisoning of numerous species. Pellets may have reached the sea due to the island's steep terrain, potentially impacting marine life. Rodenticides and herbicides are classified as "chemical biocides", a concept first proposed by the American biologist Rachel Carson over six decades ago. The question of whether this practice constitutes a conservation initiative or could lead to an environmental disaster is a salient one and this study aims to provide multidisciplinary scientific analysis to address this question.