Mouse eradication is required to prevent local extinction of an endangered seabird on an oceanic island

Introduced house mice pose a severe threat to the endangered MacGillivray’s prion (Pachyptila macgillivrayi), driving its population on Gough Island toward potential local extinction within decades. Analysis of breeding data from 2014–2020, combined with historic records, predicts a 9% annual decline in this burrow-nesting seabird if mouse predation continues unchecked—with a 31% chance of the population becoming critically vulnerable by 2057. Mouse eradication could restore breeding success to levels observed in closely related species on predator-free islands, stabilizing the population and reducing extinction risk below 10%. The study underscores the urgent need for invasive mammal removal from oceanic islands to safeguard small, burrow-nesting petrels.

Jones, C. W., Risi, M. M., Osborne, A. M., Ryan, P. G., & Oppel, S. (2021). Mouse eradication is required to prevent local extinction of an endangered seabird on an oceanic island. Animal Conservation, 24(4), 637–645. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12670