Gough Island Giant Mice

Gough Island (also known as Ilha de Gonçalo Álvares) is a remote British Overseas Territory, a rugged volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and is part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. It is considered to be one of the world's most important seabird colonies, hosting more than 10 million birds.

It would be some sort of paradise but for the mice. Mice were inadvertently introduced to the 91 square kilometers island by sailors during the 19th Century. The rodents have adapted to the limited resources on the small piece of land by developing a taste for seabird eggs and chicks.

Video cameras have recorded groups of up to nine mice eating the chicks alive. As a result of their success, the mice have become 'super-sized'. They are about 50% larger than a regular domestic mouse.

Many of the seabirds on Gough are small and nest in burrows. The chicks are smaller and have no escape route, so for an opportunistic mouse these chicks constitute relatively easy prey. The mice have done so well that they've grown bigger and are now attacking all seabirds, even endangered Tristan albatross chicks, which are far bigger than other, smaller sea-going birds.

Watch the documentary 'Tristan da Cunha – the Monster Mice of Gough Island' here.

Recently, a plan has been hatched to completely eradicate the mice. The operation is due to start in 2020. A ship will carry two helicopters and a load of poisonous, cereal pellets. These will then be spread across the island by the helicopters. They contain an anticoagulant which should kill the mice within 24 hours. They hope.

The Gough Island Giant Mice is an example of how quickly a species can adapt and become an example of island gigantism.