Idyllic island declares $9 million war on killer rats

There's a new contender for the title of Rat Island. Some 130,000 black killer rats have overrun the Tasman Sea tourist magnet of Lord Howe Island, turning what locals call "the last paradise" into the lost paradise. That's roughly 370 rats for each human resident, and their indiscriminate diet is threatening the extinction of 30 species. So the government is embarking on a $9 million "aerial bombing" of rat poison that will last 100 days, while endangered animals are herded onto "arks." No, it's not Nic Cage's latest film project, so if you're a tourist headed that way, you might want to do more than check airfares and weather reports. [Source]