Invasive Species Presence

AUS-TMI-URB-ISP General High confidence

Benchmark Value

0 presence/absence
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: MinimumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

The 2021 incursion, which began with the detection of a single pregnant female and one male rat, was not treated as a minor issue to be 'controlled'. Instead, it was classified as a critical biosecurity failure that triggered an immediate, intensive, and costly island-wide eradication response aimed at returning the system to zero.

Metric Definition:

Presence of key threatening invasive fauna (Rattus rattus and Mus musculus) in the urban and developed areas of tropical and subtropical maritime islands.

Benchmark Definition:

The critical threshold for invasive species presence in urban and developed tropical and subtropical maritime islands is zero; any detection of invasive individuals indicates a detrimental system state requiring immediate eradication.

Justification:

Any presence above zero is considered detrimental and triggers an immediate eradication response, demonstrating zero tolerance for invasive species presence.

Sources (1)

Preview of Australia's Lord Howe Island declared free of introduced rats and mice following a successful eradication operation
Australia's Lord Howe Island declared free of introduced rats and mice following a successful eradication operation GreyLiterature

Lord Howe biosecurity investment locks in rodent-free recovery - Invasive Species Council, accessed August 2, 2025,

View Source

Supporting Sources (21)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Australian Government response to the recommendations of the Christmas Island Expert Working Group, accessed August 2, 2025
Australian Government response to the recommendations of the Christmas Island Expert Working Group, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Draft Norfolk Island Region Threatened Species Recovery Plan - DCCEEW, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Biosecurity | Lord Howe Island Board - NSW Government, accessed August 2, 2025
Biosecurity | Lord Howe Island Board - NSW Government, accessed August 2, 2025
Direct Evidence Government

Lord Howe biosecurity investment locks in rodent-free recovery - Invasive Species Council, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Christmas Island National Park - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,
Christmas Island National Park - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Norfolk Island - Wikipedia

View Source
Preview of Conservation | Norfolk Island National Park | Parks Australia, accessed August 3, 2025,
Conservation | Norfolk Island National Park | Parks Australia, accessed August 3, 2025,
Regulatory Framework Government

Islands Of The Great Barrier Reef - Tropical North Queensland

View Source
Preview of Data Matters: Informing the Eradication of Invasive Species on Islands - DOI.gov, accessed August 2, 2025
Data Matters: Informing the Eradication of Invasive Species on Islands - DOI.gov, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Remoteness promotes biological invasions on islands worldwide - PNAS, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Extinct: Christmas Island pipistrelle - Invasive Species Council, accessed August 2, 2025
Extinct: Christmas Island pipistrelle - Invasive Species Council, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Extinct: Christmas Island pipistrelle - Invasive Species Council, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of feral-animals - Magnetic Island Nature Care Association, accessed August 2, 2025
feral-animals - Magnetic Island Nature Care Association, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Government

feral-animals - Magnetic Island Nature Care Association, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Frequently Asked Questions | Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project, accessed August 2, 2025
Frequently Asked Questions | Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project, accessed August 2, 2025
Direct Evidence Government

Frequently Asked Questions | Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Invasive alien species on islands: impacts, distribution, interactions and management | Environmental Conservation - Cambridge University Press, accessed August 2, 2025
Invasive alien species on islands: impacts, distribution, interactions and management | Environmental Conservation - Cambridge University Press, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Invasive alien species on islands: impacts, distribution, interactions and management | Environmental Conservation - Cambridge University Press, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Invasive plant species thresholds in the forests of Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile, accessed August 2, 2025
Invasive plant species thresholds in the forests of Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lord Howe Island species making comeback after rodent eradication - video Dailymotion, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Lord Howe Island – protecting paradise - Invasive Species Council
Lord Howe Island – protecting paradise - Invasive Species Council
Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Checkpoint program 2023 | Lord Howe Island Board - NSW Government, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project
Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project
Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Australia's Lord Howe Island declared free of introduced rats and mice following a successful eradication operation, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project, accessed August 2, 2025
Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of New Publication on Islands and Invasive Species - Pacific RISA, accessed August 2, 2025
New Publication on Islands and Invasive Species - Pacific RISA, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

New Publication on Islands and Invasive Species - Pacific RISA, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Norfolk Island conservation project - Invasive Species Council, accessed August 2, 2025
Norfolk Island conservation project - Invasive Species Council, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Norfolk Island conservation project - Invasive Species Council, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Pandemic boosts biosecurity efforts in Torres Strait - Ministerial Media Statements, accessed August 2, 2025
Pandemic boosts biosecurity efforts in Torres Strait - Ministerial Media Statements, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Pandemic boosts biosecurity efforts in Torres Strait - Ministerial Media Statements, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Pest and disease management - Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, accessed August 2, 2025
Pest and disease management - Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, accessed August 2, 2025
Regulatory Framework Government

Pest and disease management - Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Restricted Invasive Plants & Animals - Townsville City Council
Restricted Invasive Plants & Animals - Townsville City Council
Contextual Support Government

Biosecurity | Torres Strait Island Regional Council, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of The Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication: Social and Technical Lessons for Inhabited Islands - DigitalCommons@USU, accessed August 3, 2025,
The Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication: Social and Technical Lessons for Inhabited Islands - DigitalCommons@USU, accessed August 3, 2025,
Direct Evidence

Government funding to increase biosecurity measures - Lord Howe Island Museum, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Biosecurity Strategy - DAFF, accessed August 2, 2025
Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Biosecurity Strategy - DAFF, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Biosecurity Strategy - DAFF, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source
Preview of Weeds of Magnetic Island, accessed August 2, 2025
Weeds of Magnetic Island, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Conservation | Christmas Island National Park | Parks Australia, accessed August 2, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
  • Land Use Urban & Developed Use
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always worse. The threshold is absolute; there is no acceptable level of presence. The benchmark is indivisible from the permanent biosecurity system maintaining absence.