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US drops 2,000 mice on Guam to curb snake population | US drops 2,000 mice on Guam to curb snake population |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The US has dropped 2,000 dead mice over Guam in an effort to curb the Pacific island's growing population of invasive snakes. | The US has dropped 2,000 dead mice over Guam in an effort to curb the Pacific island's growing population of invasive snakes. |
The mice are stuffed with 80mg of paracetamol, the mild pain medication, which is deadly to brown tree snakes. | The mice are stuffed with 80mg of paracetamol, the mild pain medication, which is deadly to brown tree snakes. |
The rodents were tied to miniature cardboard parachutes designed to land in branches, where the tree-climbing snakes could easily find them. | The rodents were tied to miniature cardboard parachutes designed to land in branches, where the tree-climbing snakes could easily find them. |
Sunday's drop was the fourth aerial delivery of mice to Guam this year. | Sunday's drop was the fourth aerial delivery of mice to Guam this year. |
The programme has cost the United States $8m (£4.8m) annually. | The programme has cost the United States $8m (£4.8m) annually. |
Guam, a US territory, has been an important US military outpost since World War Two. | Guam, a US territory, has been an important US military outpost since World War Two. |
The brown tree snake, native to northern Australia and Papua New Guinea, first arrived on the island after the war, probably aboard a cargo ship, according to the US geological survey. | The brown tree snake, native to northern Australia and Papua New Guinea, first arrived on the island after the war, probably aboard a cargo ship, according to the US geological survey. |
Since then, the population has boomed due to abundant prey and few natural predators. | Since then, the population has boomed due to abundant prey and few natural predators. |
US scientists put the snake population at three million, with some areas containing 13,000 snakes per sq mile. | US scientists put the snake population at three million, with some areas containing 13,000 snakes per sq mile. |
The snakes are threatening native exotic bird species, as well as costing the Guam Power Authority up to $4m annually in repair costs because they sneak into power stations and cause outages. | |
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) biologist Dan Vice told the Associated Press news agency the aerial bait may be the best method to combat the snakes without harming other animals. | US Department of Agriculture (USDA) biologist Dan Vice told the Associated Press news agency the aerial bait may be the best method to combat the snakes without harming other animals. |
"The risk to non-targets is slight," Mr Vice said. "It would take 500 baits to kill a pig [and] 15 baits to kill a cat." | "The risk to non-targets is slight," Mr Vice said. "It would take 500 baits to kill a pig [and] 15 baits to kill a cat." |
The USDA will track the results of the mission through tiny radio devices packed in some of the rodents. | The USDA will track the results of the mission through tiny radio devices packed in some of the rodents. |
"If it proves to be successful, then we may potentially start ramping up the efforts and doing this on a larger basis across more of Guam," Mr Vice said. | "If it proves to be successful, then we may potentially start ramping up the efforts and doing this on a larger basis across more of Guam," Mr Vice said. |
Fears remain that the snakes could migrate to Hawaii, where Mr Vice says their presence could be devastating. | Fears remain that the snakes could migrate to Hawaii, where Mr Vice says their presence could be devastating. |
Guam ports currently use specially trained snake-sniffing dogs to detect stowaways. | Guam ports currently use specially trained snake-sniffing dogs to detect stowaways. |
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