Britain in 2011 launched a mission to poison every rat on South Georgia Island after invasive rodents devastated seabird colonies; by 2018, native birds were nesting in places they had abandoned for centuries

A daring mission to rid South Georgia Island of invasive rats, which had devastated native seabird colonies for over two centuries, has been declared a resounding success. Launched in 2011, the ambitious project utilised helicopters to distribute bait across the remote sub-Antarctic outpost. By 2018, the island was declared rodent-free, leading to a remarkable recovery of its unique wildlife, including the near-extinct South Georgia pipit.