While most animals that end up on an island shrink, small animals actually get bigger. So does the acorn mouse. This phenomenon is called island giantism. It was long thought that the growth was caused by a change in what the animals eat, but new research shows that this may not be the only reason for the growth.

By looking at the jaw structure of different giant dormice compared to the still-living acorn mouse, the researchers were able to estimate what the different species probably ate. Lead researcher Jesse Hennekam of Maastricht University explains what was discovered and what this means.

Watch the video (in Dutch) via Naturetoday.com