This cute little guy has caused trouble in Hawaii since 1883.

Dec 9, 2020 | General Information

The mongoose was deliberately brought from India to the islands of Oahu, Maui and Molokai in 1883 to assist with the rat problem that existed in the sugar plantations. Although a small percentage of the mongoose diet in India consists of rats the fact that one is nocturnal and the other is awake in the daytime limits the time that the species will interact with one another. Misguided as it was, the order was given to bring the sleek, stealth and resourceful animals to Hawaii and far less than ending the rat problem, they cause many additional ones.

Today these tiny animals have thrived and they have caused great devastation to many populations of birds as they eat their eggs and the same is true for turtle eggs. They are very smart and very difficult to catch and it is a certainty at this point that the mongoose will remain as a permanent resident of Hawaii.

As luck would have it however, the animals were never introduced to Kauai and although there have been some sightings and even some captures they have not infested that island or even the island of Lanai.