Japan has wiped out all mongooses on a subtropical island, officials said, after the animals ignored the venomous snakes they were brought in to hunt and preyed on endangered local rabbits instead.
Things had already gone bad. The mongoose were not native to the island. Japan introduced them to the island in the 1970s to deal with venomous snakes. Instead of eating the snakes, the mongoose fed on the endangered rabbit population.
Things had already gone bad. The mongoose were not native to the island. Japan introduced them to the island in the 1970s to deal with venomous snakes. Instead of eating the snakes, the mongoose fed on the endangered rabbit population.