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Why are Polynesian rats dangerous to tuatara populations?
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tuatara
The species is the sole living member of the reptile order Rhynchocephalia.
Polynesian rats, also known as kiore (Rattus exulans), are dangerous to tuatara populations because they prey heavily on both tuatara eggs and their young.1
The introduction of these rats, alongside other mammals such as cats and pigs, has placed the tuatara at serious risk of extinction on islands where these predators are present. Protecting vulnerable species from such introduced threats is a critical ethical imperative for the preservation of biodiversity and the survival of unique, ancient lineages like the tuatara.12