In 2016, New Zealand launched a daring $680,000 mission to wipe out every last mouse from the remote Antipodes Islands—home to some of the world’s rarest wildlife. These tiny invaders had driven species to extinction and brought the entire ecosystem to the brink of collapse. Armed with helicopters, poison bait, and sheer determination, scientists risked everything in one of the most challenging conservation efforts ever attempted. But when they returned one year later… the results left them speechless. What followed was a recovery so rapid and dramatic, it stunned the scientific world. This is the untold story of the Million Dollar Mouse project—where nature fought back.
