Tragic Legacy of Tibbles: Lighthouse Keeper's Cat

Tibbles, also known as the lighthouse keeper's cat, was a domesticated feline that played a significant role in the extinction of the Stephens Island wren, a species of flightless bird found only on Stephens Island in New Zealand. Tibbles was brought to the island as a pet, and without any natural predators to keep its hunting in check, it quickly decimated the island's wren population. The small, flightless birds were unable to evade Tibbles' hunting prowess, and within just a few years, the species was driven to extinction. The story of Tibbles and the Stephens Island wren serves as a sobering reminder of the impact that introduced species can have on native ecosystems.