Mongooses were brought to Hawaii in 1883, with 72 of these small, agile mammals transported from Jamaica to the northeast coast of the island of Hawaii. Sugar planter W. H. Purvis, who was linked to the Pacific Sugar Mill sugar cane plantation, aimed to use the mongooses to control rats that were damaging his crops. However, the mongoose is active during the day, while the invasive rats are nocturnal, resulting in little direct interaction between the two species. This approach was inspired by a similar effort in Jamaica in 1872, where Indian mongooses were introduced for the same purpose. Some sources claim that Jonathan Tucker was responsible for bringing the 72 animals from Jamaica, while others suggest that the Hāmākua coast planters organized their own importation in 1885. The mongoose population has since spread to five Hawaiian islands within a few decades, causing about $50 million in annual damage across Hawaii and Puerto Rico combined. The Javan mongoose, also known as Herpestes javanicus or Urva auropunctata, is an omnivore that eats a wide range of prey, including insects, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, birds, and especially eggs. In Hawaii, many native species have evolved without terrestrial mammalian predators, and many birds nest on the ground, making them particularly vulnerable to mongoose predation. The néné goose, a symbol of Hawaii, is especially affected by the mongoose. These animals remove eggs and chicks from nests and attack adult geese during molting, a period when they cannot fly. According to the 2019 federal nesting success rule, the nesting success rate at the Kauai refuge complex reaches 82%, compared to 62% at Haleakalā and 58% at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Green turtles are also targeted, as mongooses dig up nests and consume entire clutches, further threatening species where survival rates of young are already low. Among birds, the mongoose is blamed for the challenges faced by eight federally protected species, including the 'alalā (Hawaiian crow) and petrels. The mongoose's ability to reproduce quickly contributes to its population growth, as a female can begin reproducing as early as 10 months old and gives birth to two or three litters per year. Without natural predators in Hawaii, the mongoose population has expanded rapidly, covering Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the island of Hawaii, from the coast up to about 2,130 meters in altitude. Kauai is an exception, with no known mongoose population. According to historian Tomich, a shipment of mongooses intended for the island was thrown overboard in the port by dockworkers who recognized the cargo. No subsequent introductions have been documented, and Lanai also has no known mongoose population. This absence has measurable effects, as Kauai was home to about 2,643 of the 4,323 néné birds in the archipelago in the 2025 census, more than half of the species on a single island. Sporadic sightings of mongooses have already raised concerns among biosecurity authorities.