Times of India · DistrictNews · 2026-08-23
Alaska eradicated rats from Aleutian island; native birds surged within 2 years
After two hundred years of invasive rat habitation, Hawadax Island witnessed a remarkable transformation. Within just two years of their removal, native bird populations surged by over 200 percent. Seabirds previously thought extinct began to return, nesting on the island's enchanting cliffs. The restoration of the island's original name, Hawadax, marks a significant ecological achievement and sets a global benchmark for invasive species management. More than two centuries after a shipwreck brought non-native rats to a remote Alaskan island, removing the invasive rodents has led to a rapid recovery of wildlife across the 6,869-acre island in the Aleutian archipelago. According to monitoring reports and press releases from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Wildlife Refuge System, native bird populations on Hawadax Island increased by 200 per cent or more within just two years of the rat removal. Alaska eradicated rats from Aleutian island; native birds
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