Palmyra was once a lonely and quiet coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean. That was until the 20th century, when black rats were introduced, interfering with and drastically altering the island's ecosystem.

During the Second World War, a few thousand US soldiers arrived at the Palmyra Atoll. Black rats also "arrived" on the ships. In the warm and humid island climate, they multiplied rapidly and began feasting on crabs, young tree shoots, seabird eggs, and hatchlings. The introduction of coconut palm plantations also "helped" the rats change the island's way of life, forcing birds accustomed to different living conditions to seek new homes.