奇妙岛屿 20

In the lowlands,

there are lush coastal rainforests teeming with life.

But not indigenous life.

None of the plants or animals you see here is actually native.

Jackson's chameleons were brought from East Africa as exotic pets.

The white-rumped shama from India

and the northern cardinal from North America

were both introduced to supplement the native bird life,

while the red-billed leiothrix was a cage bird imported from China.

And the Japanese white-eye was imported in an attempt

to control insect pests.

Before humans,

only one new species reached Hawaii every 35,000 years.

Now up to 50 new species turn up every year.

Invaders are everywhere,

and some have had a significant impact.

In an attempt to control introduced rats,

humans brought the Indian mongoose to Hawaii.

Unfortunately,

no one considered the fact that rats are nocturnal,

while the mongoose hunts by day,

so the hungry mongoose turned its attention

to decimating the island's unique bird life instead.