House Mouse Mus musculus was accidentally introduced to Aride at an unknown date. They are pests around houses so that Aride staff have to take great care to secure food and avoid leaving exposed scraps. Originally native to Asia, the House Mouse reached the eastern Mediterranean around 13000 BC, only spreading into the rest of Europe around 1000 BC. Eradication has been discussed for many years, but is difficult. It is known that House Mice predate seabirds elsewhere, so it is feared this is a possibility at Aride. The subject of potential eradication one day when funding and scientific know how permit, remains in the agenda of ICS. Photo: Xocolatl 17:04, 14 January 2008 (UTC), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).
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The Seychelles Fruit Bat Pteropus seychellensis is endemic to the granitic islands of Seychelles. It is an important component of the ecosystem for the islands, dispersing the seeds of many tree species. Although it is still hunted for meat on some islands, it remains abundant thanks largely to the increased number of fruit trees grown since human settlement, providing an abundant food supply. Unlike insectivorous bats, fruit bats have excellent vision. They also have sharp teeth that enable bats to penetrate the flesh of fruits and very long tongues that unroll when feeding. When not feeding, the tongue is tucked away internally around the rib cage rather than in the mouth.
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