In 1979, Japan released mongooses onto an island to control habu snakes and rats, but unexpected consequences followed
TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Jun 04, 2026, 17:59 (IST)
A well-intentioned biological control attempt on Japan's Amami Oshima island backfired spectacularly. Introduced mongooses, meant to control venomous snakes, instead decimated native wildlife due to a mismatch in hunting times. After decades of dedicated efforts and capturing over 32,000 mongooses, the island is finally seeing signs of ecological recovery, marking a significant conservation triumph.