Latest news with #InvasiveSpecies
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
Robo-Bunnies Are the Latest Weapon Against Florida's Invasive Pythons
Invasive Burmese pythons are a scourge upon South Florida. These massive snakes are one of the region's most pernicious pests, posing a significant risk to local biodiversity as they chow down on native wildlife. Burmese pythons were introduced to Florida through the exotic pet trade in the 1970s and are now among the state's top predators. Researchers and conservationists have been working to wrangle the python problem through capture and kill programs but have faced significant challenges. These elusive snakes are masters of camouflage that thrive in semi-aquatic, densely vegetated environments like the Everglades, making it difficult to find them. Now, a team of wildlife ecologists at the University of Florida has developed a new method for luring them out of their hiding places: robo-bunnies. Yes, you read that right. According to a UF statement, assistant professor and ecologist Chris Dutton ripped the stuffing out of 40 plush bunny toys and filled them with motors, heaters, and solar panels to make them mimic real marsh rabbit prey. The robo-bunnies are designed to trick pythons into thinking they're the real deal—or should we say, the real meal. They look like rabbits, move like rabbits, and even exhibit a living rabbit's body temperature. 'We want to capture all of the processes that an actual rabbit would give off,' said Dutton's colleague Robert McCleery, a UF professor of wildlife ecology and conservation who is leading the project, according to The Palm Beach Post. Previous studies showed that live rabbits placed in pens attract about one python per week on average, but it requires too much work to care for multiple rabbit pens spread out across the Everglades, The Palm Beach Post reported. Robo-bunnies require far less maintenance, offering a much less labor-intensive way to lure pythons into the open. Dutton and McCleery began testing their solar-powered, remote-controlled rabbits this month, placing them in pens in various parts of South Florida. Each robo-bunny is equipped with a motion-sensor camera that alerts researchers when a python approaches. If proven effective, this method could make it much easier for wildlife experts to capture these snakes. In recent years, Florida has taken aggressive steps to reduce the python population in the Everglades, including incentivized removal efforts such as the 2024 Florida Python Challenge. During this competition, more than 850 participants eliminated nearly 200 destructive pythons from public lands in South Florida. The grand prize winner, Ronald Kiger, removed 20 pythons and won $10,000. 'Every python that is removed and eliminated is making a difference to protect the Everglades and South Florida's diverse and native wildlife,' the South Florida Water Management District states. These invasive predators pose a significant threat to the Everglades ecosystem, reducing prey that panthers, raptors, bobcats, and other native predators rely on as primary food sources, the district adds. Dutton and McCleery's clever new lure may eventually help reduce the Burmese python's ecological impact, but first, they need data to show that it works. McCleery told Gizmodo that he expects to have that data by November. If the robo-bunnies' lifelike motion and body heat can't fool the snakes, the researchers plan to add rabbit scent to make them even more convincing, according to The Palm Beach Post.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Japan Times
Why authorities in Okinawa are trying to capture feral goats
Feral goats in the village of Higashi's Takae district in northern Okinawa Prefecture were designated by the Okinawa Prefectural Government in 2023 as an invasive species that urgently needs to be controlled. Wild goats are causing damage to crops in the village, as well as on Iriomote Island, and there are concerns that they could negatively impact the forest ecosystems harboring rare animals and plants. The village and prefectural authorities are working to catch the goats and prevent the spread of the invasive species. Wild goats have so far been spotted in the Yanbaru region — the northern area of Okinawa's main island — and on remote islands in the prefecture. They are highly reproductive, and the village began to consider them as a problem around 2019. Since the goats are of West Asian origin, it is highly likely that they were initially brought in as livestock and then became feral. Akira Nishime, 71, a grass farmer in Takae, has been troubled by crop damage by wild goats for years. Nishime first observed wild goats on his grassland around 2008. He said he was surprised to see roughly 20 goats climbing up a cliff rising about 100 meters from the shoreline. Because they are cautious and avoid coming close to humans, they have never attacked him, but since then, they have been seen between February and May every year up to and including last year. It is not clear exactly how much damage has been done to his crops, because grass grows again after it is eaten. Still, 'it is annoying, considering each goat eats about 7 to 8 kilograms of grass a day and 20 to 30 of them come to my grassland every season,' he said. In fiscal 2023, about five flocks of 20 to 30 wild goats were spotted in the village, and it was estimated that some 100 goats inhabit the area. The village government set about taking measures to prevent crop damage, treating wild goats as harmful wildlife. A team of hunters, working on wildlife damage control, which has been capturing wild boars and crows, began catching wild goats throughout the year. In the same fiscal year, the prefectural government also started conducting regular patrols and captures in Higashi, as well as in the village of Kunigami in northern Okinawa Prefecture and on Iriomote Island, to protect vegetation and endemic species from being trampled by wild goats. In fiscal 2023, village authorities captured 17 wild goats and prefectural officials caught 19 in Takae. In fiscal 2024, as the number of goats in the district decreased, village officials did not capture any, while prefectural officials caught 19. According to the prefectural government, at least 12 goats currently live in Takae. While the number of wild goats in Takae has declined due to the measures, authorities plan to continue seizing the animals. They are also taking measures to encourage proper goat-raising in order to prevent more feral animals. The town of Taketomi, which has jurisdiction over Iriomote Island, which has a huge wild goat population, began enforcing an ordinance on April 1 on responsible goat handling and management. The ordinance sets rules including requiring that goats have collars and ear tags, prohibiting owners from unleashing them and making it mandatory to report to authorities in the event one runs away. Violators of the rules are subject to warnings, admonition and penalty fees. There have also been cases of goats running away in Higashi. 'We plan to consider measures to promote proper goat handling and also discuss the need to create an ordinance,' an official from the village said. Okinawa Prefecture is soliciting witness reports of invasive species, including wild goats, on its website. This section features topics and issues from Okinawa covered by The Okinawa Times, a major newspaper in the prefecture. The original article was published June 5.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Florida Just Deployed 40 Robot Bunnies to Trick the Worst Predator in the Everglades
Florida's Burmese python problem isn't going away anytime soon. The researchers, snake trackers, and other conservationists working to remove the giant snakes will be the first to tell you that eradicating this invasive species isn't a realistic goal. That hasn't kept them from trying to manage the problem, though, and scientists are now working on a new and futuristic approach to finding and removing pythons: robotic bunny rabbits. Researchers at the University of Florida are hoping these robo-bunnies can be another tool in the python toolbox, similar to the highly successful scout-snake method that has been honed by wildlife biologists at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Only instead of using GPS-collared male pythons to lead them to the females, trackers would use the robots to bring the invasive snakes to them. These are stuffed toys that have been retro-fitted with electrical components so they can be remotely controlled. The robots also have tiny cameras that sense movement and notify researchers, who can then check the video feed to see if a python has been lured in. The University's experiments with robotic rabbits are ongoing, according to the Palm Beach Post, and the research is being funded by the South Florida Water Management District — the same government agency that pays bounties to licensed snake removal experts and hosts the Florida Python Challenge every year. 'Our partners have allowed us to trial these things that may sound a little crazy,' wildlife ecologist and UF project leader Robert McCleery told the Post. 'Working in the Everglades for ten years, you get tired of documenting the problem. You want to address it.' McCleery said that in early July, his team launched a pilot study with 40 robotic rabbits spread out across a large area. These high-tech decoys will be monitored as the team continues to learn and build on the experiment. (As one example, McCleery explained that incorporating rabbit scents into the robots could be worth consideration in the future.) Read Next: These Snake Trackers Have Removed More than 20 Tons of Invasive Pythons from Florida… and They're Just Getting Started The idea of using bunnies as decoys made sense for the team at UF, since rabbits, and specifically marsh rabbits, are some of the favorite prey items for Burmese pythons. Recent studies (including one authored by McCleery) have shown the massive declines in the Everglades' marsh rabbit populations that can be directly attributed to pythons. 'Years ago we were hearing all these claims about the decimation of mesomammals in the Everglades. Well, this researcher thought that sounded far-fetched, so he decided to study it,' says Ian Bartoszek, a wildlife biologist and python tracker based in Naples. 'So, he got a bunch of marsh rabbits, put [GPS] collars on them, and then he let them go in the core Everglades area … Within six months, 77 percent of those rabbits were found inside the bellies of pythons. And he was a believer after that.' Solve the daily Crossword
CBC
22-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Invasive Japanese beetles found outside downtown core in Kamloops, B.C.
A Kamloops, B.C., resident has reported invasive Japanese beetles outside the city's downtown core — an area which is considered a containment zone for the foliage-eating species. Also known as Popillia japonica, the invasive pest feeds on the roots of grass and the foliage of more than 300 plant species. The CFIA recognizes the insect's spread as a threat to commercial crops and native plants, and the Invasive Species Council of B.C. says it "poses a severe threat to ecosystems and industries." Late last year, the beetles were detected in the B.C. Interior city of Kamloops, the first time the pests were detected in B.C. outside the Lower Mainland. It prompted the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to set up a containment zone around the city's downtown core to prevent the spread of the beetles and start a survey to assess it. Anyone transporting whole plants, soil and certain plant matter outside the zone has to get a movement certificate signed off by the CFIA — but a Kamloops resident living outside the city's regulated area recently discovered a swarm of the pests in her garden. "Every time I come out, every few hours, I check the plants because I certainly don't want these spreading. And I find more," Laine Martin, who lives on the city's west side near the fire hall, told CBC News on Monday. Martin had just returned from a vacation when she discovered almost 50 beetles on her rose and raspberry bushes. "I think that Kamloops has a problem, and I think we have to be proactive and try to combat this spread," she said. "If that means additional spraying to other areas that were outside the quarantine zone, let's get on top of this." CFIA says no cause for alarm yet Jason Crandall, the CFIA's planning chief for the Japanese beetle eradication response in B.C., said it was only the first year of their Japanese beetle survey in Kamloops. He urged residents to report any Japanese beetles if they find them, and trap and freeze them so inspectors can more accurately map their spread. "It's the first year of the proper survey. So you know, if you're out in your backyard and you're looking at your roses ... and you find beetles, don't panic," he said. "It's important to act. But you shouldn't let that spin into fear." Crandall said the CFIA's response to the invasive Japanese beetle involves spraying plants with pesticide, which he says is incredibly effective at killing the pests, as well as regulating the movement of plant matter to prevent the beetles' spread. "Instead of just guessing or having a broad area of treatment, it's better with pesticides to have a more targeted area," he said. "And the more data we collect, the more targeted we could be." Danielle Sparks, the City of Kamloops's environmental services supervisor, dubbed the Japanese beetles a "hitchhiker species" that don't fly very far. "They do rely on humans for spreading to different areas. So trying to prevent hitchhikers is key," she said.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
These 'crazy' invasive Florida pests attack mammals, birds and create giant supercolonies
Move over Burmese pythons and iguanas. This Florida invasive species numbers in the millions, asphyxiates its prey and creates huge supercolonies that are nearly impossible to eradicate. Meet tawny crazy ants. They get their name from their erratic movements, especially while foraging, and are native to South America but spread to the southern U.S. in the late 1990s. According to the USDA, tawny crazy ants in Florida are part of a super colony that spreads across the southern U.S. They lack territorial behavior, which enables the creation of gigantic supercolonies, whose need for resources drives out local wildlife and brings them into direct conflict with humans. They can invade homes where they are drawn to and damage electrical equipment, and can make yards uncomfortable for residents to enjoy. In areas of the country with severe tawny crazy ant infestations, they kill or displace local wildlife, including other ant species, even fire ants. 'There's no insect noise and there's no bird noise,' University of Texas ecologist Edward LeBrun told Science. According to Texas A&M University's Urban and Structural Entomology Program, after experiencing the tawny crazy ant, most residents prefer the fire ant. Tawny crazy ants bite and excrete formic acid Tawny crazy ants bite and excrete formic acid, which they use like venom. What do tawny crazy ants in Florida eat? According to the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), tawny crazy ants prey on live animals, and scavenge from dead animals. They eat caterpillars, beetles, termites, wasps and spiders, or even small animals such as rabbits, birds, lizards, and domestic animals, which usually die due to asphyxia. Tawny crazy ants are capable of forcing birds from their nests and blinding young rabbits with their acid, Smithsonian Magazine reported. They can attack crops, domestic animals and honeybee hives, and take over the nesting sites of other ant species, including fire ants. Where in Florida are tawny crazy ants found? See map According to IFAS, by 2012, tawny crazy ants were found in 24 counties in Florida listed below, with infestations spreading. This can be expected in any county in Florida, IFAS reported. Alachua Brevard Broward Clay Collier DeSoto Duval Hardee Hillsborough Indian River Lee Manatee Marion Martin Miami-Dade Orange Palm Beach Pasco Pinellas Polk Saint Johns Saint Lucie Sarasota What do tawny crazy ants look like? The Urban and Structural Entomology Program at Texas A&M University describes tawny crazy ants as follows: Coloration: Adult colony members, including queens, males and workers, are reddish-brown (although lightness or darkness of their body color may vary) Size: Worker ants are all similar in size (they are monomorphic), with a body length of 1/8 inch. Worker ants have long legs and antennae and their bodies have numerous, long, coarse hairs. The antenna have 12-segments with no club. There is a small circle of hairs (acidopore) present at tip of the abdomen (as opposed to the typical stinger found in many ants), a characteristic of formicine ants (found within the Formicinae subfamily). How to get rid of tawny crazy ants around your home Management of this ant will most likely require the services of a professional pest control company that practices integrated pest management (IPM). According to UF, 100% eradication of this ant is not probable in areas where it is established. However, population suppression is possible. Tawny crazy ant prevention Schedule regular trash pick-up. Keep trash cans clean and stored away from the home. Remove leaf litter, fallen branches, and other yard debris. Keep hedges and trees trimmed so that they do not touch the home. Eliminate or reduce possible food, water, and nesting sources. Remove trash regularly and keep trash receptacles clean. Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink. Clean up spills immediately. Place food items in the refrigerator or in sealed containers. Pick up pet food bowls when your pet is not eating. Exclusion To prevent ants from entering a home: Walk around the outside of the home and locate potential entry points (cracks, crevices, spaces around windows and doors). Locate indoor entry points, paying particular attention to windows, doors, and plumbing and utility penetrations. Use an appropriate sealant. Replace door thresholds and weather stripping as needed. If you can see light from the outside while you are standing inside, it is enough of a gap for ants and other pests to enter. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Fire ant vs tawny ants: invasive species in Florida. Map, how to kill
