In 1878, Seal Hunters Introduced Rabbits to Macquarie Island, Between

Multiple Choice

In 1878, seal hunters introduced rabbits to Macquarie Island, between Australia and Antarctica. The rabbit population soared and the Myxoma virus was then introduced to kill off rabbits. It worked, but the islands' cats, which had depended on the rabbits for food, began eating seabirds instead. To save the seabirds, scientists started a program to kill off the cats. Twenty-four years later, in 2009, the rabbit population had exploded again, and rabbits were ravaging native plant species and devastating the island's ecosystem. This story appears to be an example of

A) sound, responsible ecological management.
B) unintended ecological consequences.
C) predictable but unavoidable consequences.
D) a series of catastrophes resulting from random chance.