22. In the late 19th century, Tibbles the Cat exterminated the Stephen Island Wren, alerting New Zealanders to their ecological impact
In 1894, David Lyall moved to Stephens Island, just off South Island, New Zealand. While Lyall manned the lighthouse, his cat, Tibbles, went hunting, and always brought back the same type of bird. Intrigued, Lyall sent the birds off to ornithologists, who proclaimed it a new species. Too late: within a year, Tibbles had hunted the Stephens Island Wren to extinction! Evidence has subsequently shown it once lived across New Zealand. Having evolved in a world without predators, it didn’t stand a chance when settlers arrived with cats and dogs. The wren’s extermination alerted New Zealanders to their ecological impact.