Lord Howe Island got rid of its rats and mice – now cockroaches and bugs are bouncing back
Summary
Lord Howe Island, located 600 km off Australia's east coast, successfully removed invasive rats and mice in 2019. Since then, scientists have observed a 60% increase in native bugs such as beetles and cockroaches, showing signs of the island's ecosystem recovering.Key Facts
- Lord Howe Island is a 15 square km volcanic island with many unique plants and animals.
- Rats and mice arrived accidentally in the 19th and early 20th centuries, harming native species.
- The invasive rodents caused the extinction of five bird species, two plants, and 13 invertebrates.
- A 2019 program eradicated about 300,000 rats and mice from the island.
- After eradication, researchers found a 60% rise in invertebrate numbers on the island.
- Over 24,000 bug specimens were collected from 20 sites for the study.
- The island has more than 1,600 invertebrate species, about half of which are found nowhere else.
- Scientists say the ecosystem is slowly recovering and reorganizing without the rodents.
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