In 1883, Hawaii introduced mongooses to control rats in sugarcane fields. They soon became a far bigger threat to native wildlife

• Back in the late 1800s, Hawaii's booming sugarcane industry had a serious rat problem.
• Rats were tearing through the cane fields, cutting into profits, and plantation owners wanted a quick fix.
• Their answer was to bring in the small Indian mongoose, a fast, sharp-toothed little predator known for hunting rats and snakes back in its native range.