1903 Laysan Island rabbit release stripped island bare, drove 3 bird species extinct

German immigrant Max Schlemmer introduced rabbits to Laysan Island in 1903 for business and entertainment. These rabbits rapidly consumed vegetation, leading to the extinction of three unique landbird species. President Theodore Roosevelt established the Hawaiian Islands Bird Reservation to protect the remaining wildlife. Federal authorities later removed Schlemmer and eradicated the invasive rabbit population by 1923. Conservationists have since worked to restore the habitat and reintroduce species to the island.