Facts about Polynesian Rats Impact on Ecosystems
- 05
Archaeological evidence from Hawaiian and other Pacific island sites shows Polynesian rats consumed native invertebrates, contributing to the loss of endemic insect and land snail species.
- 04
Introduced by Polynesian voyagers across the Pacific, Rattus exulans has been linked to the extinction of numerous lizard species on islands where ground-dwelling reptiles had no evolutionary defense against mammalian predators.
- 03
The Polynesian rat's habit of gnawing through the bases of seabird eggs has contributed to the collapse of nesting colonies on numerous Pacific islands.
- 02
Seed predation by Polynesian rats has severely disrupted forest regeneration on Pacific islands by destroying seeds before they can germinate.
- 01
Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans), introduced by ancient Pacific settlers, are considered a primary cause of widespread seabird and endemic plant extinctions across Pacific islands.