Mice have learnt to eat Albatross chicks while alive?!-video- Gough Island.

A gang of mice on the remote Gough Island have learnt how to feed on Tristan Albatross chicks,conservationists are to begin a programme to control the mouse population on the island to protect the bird,the mice have apparently learned to feed on the chick while alive once it's mother leaves the nest to feed

I realise this is of great harm to the islands birds, but this behaviour is quite bizarre and a little disturbing so people who feel they would be offended by a group of mice eating a Albatross chick, while its still alive, then don't watch it.

I presume it wouldn't kill them, maybe later through infection and stress?

Video.

More on gough island.

Gough and Inaccessible Island are a protected wildlife reserve, which has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It has been described as one of the least disrupted ecosystems of its kind and one of the best shelters for nesting seabirds in the Atlantic. In particular, it is host to almost the entire world population of the Tristan albatross (Diomedea dabbenena) and the Atlantic Petrel (Pterodroma incerta').[1] RSPB conservationists have recently reported aggressive groups of unusually large and violent human-introduced house mice (Mus musculus) which have been posing a problem for the albatross breeding grounds, attacking large numbers of young birds; the mice are supposed to be eradicated in the coming years. However, in April 2007 fears were raised that "giant mice" may drive some bird species to extinction

en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 1-5-2007 by Denied]

This is one example that the "natural balance of nature" is not the romanticized version Holywood, environmentalists, and some people make it out to be.

Nature can be cruel and inhumane, and it is not confined to "human standards".

Animals can perform the most barbaric acts just the same as humans can. Animals can also performed humane and altruistic actions, just as some people can.

The romanticized version of "the natural balance of nature" is nothing but a farce.