Rat Island, Aleutian Islands

Rat Island in the western Aleutians got infested with rats in 1780 when a Japanese sailing ship went aground. It may have been an important seabird colony, but little bird life now exists. Rats in large numbers still persist on Rat Island by eating intertidal life and vegetation. Their continued presence prevent bird life from successfully returning. Archeologists are recovering bird bones from old Aleut middens in an effort to see what life was present before rats arrived. The New Zealanders completely removed rats from Campbell Island in 2001, and island larger than Rat Island. The USFWS is considering restoring Rat Island. If successful, maybe it should go back to its Aleut name.