In the 1770s, Captain Cook released pigs and goats in New Zealand to feed future sailors; their feral descendants began destroying native bush

Captain Cook introduced pigs and goats to New Zealand's Ship Cove in 1770 for future sailors. These animals became significant threats to native forests over centuries. Motuara Island, cleared and then restored, shows conservation success. Introduced pests were removed from Motuara Island in 1991. Native birds have since returned to this predator-free island.