How getting rid of invasive mammals has helped animals survive on their native islands

An adult Scripps’ murrelet. The bird is no longer a candidate for Endangered Species Act protection after the invasive rats that ate its eggs and chicks were eradicted from Anacapa Island.

The island night lizard, a nocturnal reptile found on Santa Barbara, San Nicolas and San Clemente islands, was threatened by cat predation and habitat loss from goats and sheep introduced to the island. After the invasive mammals were removed, the International Union for Conservation of Nature removed the lizard from its “Red List.”

An island fox on San Nicolas Island. During a three–year program to remove feral cats from the island, Navy officials and environmentalists had to be careful not to catch the fox by mistake.

A feral pig on Santa Cruz Island. The pigs caused concerns about damage to ancient Chumash burial sites.

A young bald eagle to be reintroduced to Santa Cruz Island. When DDT nearly wiped out the island’s bald eagle population, golden eagles arrived and ate invasive pigs and native island foxes.