Latest news with #Wolbachia
India.com
6 days ago
- Science
- India.com
This country isn't dropping missiles, bombs, or explosives by drones but releasing mosquitoes due to..., reason will amaze you, place is...
Due to the ongoing conflicts around the world, authorities often see the need to utilize drones for defense purposes. However, there is one country that uses drones not to drop bombs or missiles, but rather to do something very different. Well, in the lush jungles of Hawaii, a rare sight emerged in June, something few could have imagined before. How can mosquitoes help protect the environment? Drones dropped tiny biodegradable pods, each containing approximately 1,000 mosquitoes. They were not just any mosquitoes. They were genetically engineered male mosquitoes in the lab. Why is this country using drones to release mosquitoes instead of weapons? These lab-reared male mosquitoes have a certain bacterium that hinders the capability for the eggs to hatch when the females reproduce. The purpose of this new technology? To save Hawaii's endangered native birds threatened by mosquito-borne diseases. These birds are crucial pollinators and seed disperse agents. According to a CNN report, they are now in great peril. Once, Hawaii had over 50 species of honeycreepers, but now only 17 are left, with most being endangered. A tiny bird named the 'akikiki' became almost extinct in the wild last year. As per the report, less than 100 birds of 'yellow-green 'akeke'e are estimated to remain. What threat are scientists trying to fight with these mosquitoes? According to Dr. Chris Farmer, the director of the Hawaii program for the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), development and deforestation certainly have effects on the environment, but the 'existential threat' to Hawaii's birds is avian malaria, which is carried by mosquitoes. Hawaii was originally mosquito-free, and they were not found in the islands until 1826, when the whaling vessels came to the islands. The whaleships had not been aware that mosquitoes were in the water, so with the introduction of mosquitoes, then, the environment was altered. Mosquitos managed to proliferate widely. Later, it became a serious threat to the birds. Moreover, the birds lacked the evolved defenses against the diseases that mosquitoes present. In the past, the birds would escape mosquitoes by moving to higher elevations on the mountains, where the colder temperatures prevent the mosquitoes from surviving, but now the temperatures in the higher elevations are rising as a result of climate change or global warming, which allowed the mosquitoes to move to higher elevations as well. In an effort to save the birds, researchers worked on a method called IIT, or Incompatible Insect Technique. IIT involves injecting male mosquitoes with a bacterium named Wolbachia. Once a lab-bred male mates with a wild female, her eggs will not hatch. Because females can't lay eggs that hatch, the population will start to slowly decline. The American Bird Conservancy and an organization called 'Birds, Not Mosquitoes', began researching this method in 2016. Millions of mosquitoes were reared in a laboratory in California and then released in Maui and Kauai in Hawaii. Roughly 1 million mosquitoes are being released each week now. 'Right now, we're releasing 500,000 mosquitoes a week on Maui and 500,000 mosquitoes a week on Kauai,' Dr. Chris Farmer, the director of the Hawaii program for the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), was quoted as saying to CNN.
CNN
7 days ago
- Science
- CNN
Thousands of mosquitoes are being dropped by drones to save rare birds from extinction
In June, dozens of biodegradable pods fell from the sky over the forests of Hawaii. Each one, delivered by drone, contained about 1,000 mosquitoes. These weren't just any mosquitoes — they were non-biting, lab-reared male mosquitoes carrying a common bacterium that results in eggs that don't hatch when the males mate with wild females. The hope is that they will help to control the archipelago's invasive mosquito population, which is decimating native bird populations, such as rare Hawaiian honeycreepers. The birds, which are key pollinators and seed dispersers and also play a central role in Hawaiian culture, are in dire straits. There were once more than 50 known species of honeycreepers in Hawaii, but today there are only 17 left, most of which are endangered. Last year, the 'akikiki, a small gray bird, went functionally extinct in the wild, and less than 100 of the yellow-green ʻakekeʻe are estimated to remain. Development and deforestation have had an impact, but according to Dr. Chris Farmer, Hawaii program director for the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the 'existential threat' is avian malaria, which is spread by mosquitoes. The insects are not native to Hawaii, but were first reported in 1826, likely unintentionally carried over by whaling vessels. 'They caused waves of extinction,' says Farmer, as many native birds, such as the honeycreepers, had no resistance to the disease. Since mosquitoes thrive in the warmer tropical habitats in the low elevations of Hawaii's islands, the remaining honeycreepers found a refuge higher up in the mountains of islands such as Maui and Kauai, he explains. Now, this is changing. 'With climate change, we are seeing warmer temperatures and we're watching the mosquitoes move up the mountains,' he says. '(In places like Kauai) we're watching the populations of birds there just completely plummet.' 'It's a constant march of mosquitoes moving up as the temperatures allow them and the birds getting pushed further and further up until there's no habitat left that they can survive in. 'If we don't break that cycle, we're going to lose our honeycreepers,' he adds. Conservationists have been searching for a solution to control mosquito populations and provide a lifeline to the honeycreepers. But dealing with mosquitoes on a landscape scale is difficult, says Farmer, who explains that the use of pesticides, for instance, would also damage native insect populations such as damselflies and fruit flies that are vital to ecosystems. Because mosquitoes are also such a huge threat to human health, spreading human malaria, dengue fever and the zika virus, among others, scientists have been studying the problem for decades, coming up with various solutions, including the incompatible insect technique (IIT). This involves releasing male mosquitoes that have a strain of naturally occurring bacteria called Wolbachia, which causes non-viable eggs when they mate with wild females. Over time, with repeated releases, the wild population should decline as a result. Related article The world's smallest elephants are facing extinction. One woman has a plan to save them In 2016, ABC, together with Birds, Not Mosquitoes, a multi-agency partnership dedicated to protecting Hawaiian honeycreepers, decided IIT had the best chance of succeeding in Hawaii and started to investigate how to apply the same technique to mosquitoes transmitting avian malaria. 'The mosquito that transmits avian malaria is different from the one that transmits human malaria,' explains Farmer, so they began testing various strains of Wolbachia within the southern house mosquitoes found in Hawaii to determine which one was most effective. The process took several years, due to 'a combination of the science, community engagement and the regulatory process,' says Farmer, adding that, naturally, 'whenever you say, 'I want to release millions of mosquitoes in the forest,' people have a lot of very legitimate questions.' In 2022 they started ramping up production, rearing millions of mosquitoes with the chosen Wolbachia strain in a laboratory in California. The following year, they started releasing the insects in areas where the honeycreepers live in Maui, dropping them in biodegradable pods from helicopters. 'We have a rough estimate for how many mosquitoes there are in the wild, and we try to release 10 times as many of these Wolbachia mosquitoes, so (that they) find these females and are able to mate with them, and then their eggs don't hatch,' says Farmer. 'Right now, we're releasing 500,000 mosquitoes a week on Maui and 500,000 mosquitoes a week on Kauai,' he adds, using both drones and helicopters. According to Farmer, it's the first example globally of IIT being used for conservation purposes. If successful, he hopes it will inspire uses elsewhere. He warns, however, that while in Hawaii they felt confident using the technique because mosquitoes are an invasive species that have only been around for 200 years and therefore play no major ecological role, in other countries where they are native, the technique could have unintended repercussions to the ecosystem. One of the major barriers to releasing the insects in Hawaii has been the remote, mountainous terrain, prone to strong winds and unpredictable weather. The program has had to rely mainly on helicopters for releases, but these are expensive to run and there are a limited number on the archipelago, with competing needs for firefighting, safety and tourism, says Farmer. Often, missions have had to be called off last minute due to weather, he adds. This is where drones come in. After months of testing the aerial vehicles in demanding conditions, checking their range, and designing protective, temperature-controlled parcels that can safely carry mosquitoes and be fixed onto the body, they successfully started deploying mosquitoes by drone in June. It is the 'first known instance of specialized mosquito pods being dropped by drones,' says Adam Knox, project manager for ABC's aerial deployment of mosquitoes. 'We have more flexibility with deployment timing in areas that generally have very unpredictable weather and it's safer because no humans need to ride in the aircraft to deploy the mosquitoes.' It also 'reduces costs, team flight times, emissions and noise, which in turn means cheaper, more sustainable deployments,' he adds. Farmer expects it to be a year or so before they will see the results of the deployments and whether the IIT technique is working. However, he is hopeful that it will help 'buy time' for the birds to recover. A recent study from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute found there is still time to save honeycreepers like the ʻakekeʻe from extinction if IIT mosquito control efforts are successful. Christopher Kyriazis, postdoctoral researcher from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and lead author of the report, told CNN that their modeling demonstrated the urgency of the situation: 'If you wait even a couple years, the window narrows really quickly.' While IIT is 'ambitious' and has never been used on this scale for these sorts of conservation aims before, he believes 'there is hope for the species, if it can be effective.' If mosquito populations were under control, there is the possibility that the honeycreepers would have time to replenish populations and with more genetic diversity, and may even develop their own resistance to avian malaria. There are already signs of that happening with one honeycreeper species, the 'amakihi, on Hawaii Island, says Farmer. Related article The fish collectors hoping to save rare species from extinction However, Kyriazis cautions that 'even if a (protective) mutation did arise at this point, for it to be able to spread through the population fast enough to save it is very unlikely.' A safer environment would also give the opportunity to reintroduce captive populations of birds like the 'akikiki; although it is extinct in the wild, some are being bred at bird conservation centers in Hawaii. For Farmer, being at the forefront of this effort and seeing birds go extinct is 'soul shattering.' But it also drives him. 'We have the ability to save these species,' he says. 'If we don't save these birds in this decade, then they probably won't be here for the future. And so the ability to make a difference in the world, make a difference in the future, motivates us all.'
CNN
7 days ago
- Science
- CNN
Thousands of mosquitoes are being dropped by drones to save rare birds from extinction
In June, dozens of biodegradable pods fell from the sky over the forests of Hawaii. Each one, delivered by drone, contained about 1,000 mosquitoes. These weren't just any mosquitoes — they were non-biting, lab-reared male mosquitoes carrying a common bacterium that results in eggs that don't hatch when the males mate with wild females. The hope is that they will help to control the archipelago's invasive mosquito population, which is decimating native bird populations, such as rare Hawaiian honeycreepers. The birds, which are key pollinators and seed dispersers and also play a central role in Hawaiian culture, are in dire straits. There were once more than 50 known species of honeycreepers in Hawaii, but today there are only 17 left, most of which are endangered. Last year, the 'akikiki, a small gray bird, went functionally extinct in the wild, and less than 100 of the yellow-green ʻakekeʻe are estimated to remain. Development and deforestation have had an impact, but according to Dr. Chris Farmer, Hawaii program director for the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the 'existential threat' is avian malaria, which is spread by mosquitoes. The insects are not native to Hawaii, but were first reported in 1826, likely unintentionally carried over by whaling vessels. 'They caused waves of extinction,' says Farmer, as many native birds, such as the honeycreepers, had no resistance to the disease. Since mosquitoes thrive in the warmer tropical habitats in the low elevations of Hawaii's islands, the remaining honeycreepers found a refuge higher up in the mountains of islands such as Maui and Kauai, he explains. Now, this is changing. 'With climate change, we are seeing warmer temperatures and we're watching the mosquitoes move up the mountains,' he says. '(In places like Kauai) we're watching the populations of birds there just completely plummet.' 'It's a constant march of mosquitoes moving up as the temperatures allow them and the birds getting pushed further and further up until there's no habitat left that they can survive in. 'If we don't break that cycle, we're going to lose our honeycreepers,' he adds. Conservationists have been searching for a solution to control mosquito populations and provide a lifeline to the honeycreepers. But dealing with mosquitoes on a landscape scale is difficult, says Farmer, who explains that the use of pesticides, for instance, would also damage native insect populations such as damselflies and fruit flies that are vital to ecosystems. Because mosquitoes are also such a huge threat to human health, spreading human malaria, dengue fever and the zika virus, among others, scientists have been studying the problem for decades, coming up with various solutions, including the incompatible insect technique (IIT). This involves releasing male mosquitoes that have a strain of naturally occurring bacteria called Wolbachia, which causes non-viable eggs when they mate with wild females. Over time, with repeated releases, the wild population should decline as a result. Related article The world's smallest elephants are facing extinction. One woman has a plan to save them In 2016, ABC, together with Birds, Not Mosquitoes, a multi-agency partnership dedicated to protecting Hawaiian honeycreepers, decided IIT had the best chance of succeeding in Hawaii and started to investigate how to apply the same technique to mosquitoes transmitting avian malaria. 'The mosquito that transmits avian malaria is different from the one that transmits human malaria,' explains Farmer, so they began testing various strains of Wolbachia within the southern house mosquitoes found in Hawaii to determine which one was most effective. The process took several years, due to 'a combination of the science, community engagement and the regulatory process,' says Farmer, adding that, naturally, 'whenever you say, 'I want to release millions of mosquitoes in the forest,' people have a lot of very legitimate questions.' In 2022 they started ramping up production, rearing millions of mosquitoes with the chosen Wolbachia strain in a laboratory in California. The following year, they started releasing the insects in areas where the honeycreepers live in Maui, dropping them in biodegradable pods from helicopters. 'We have a rough estimate for how many mosquitoes there are in the wild, and we try to release 10 times as many of these Wolbachia mosquitoes, so (that they) find these females and are able to mate with them, and then their eggs don't hatch,' says Farmer. 'Right now, we're releasing 500,000 mosquitoes a week on Maui and 500,000 mosquitoes a week on Kauai,' he adds, using both drones and helicopters. According to Farmer, it's the first example globally of IIT being used for conservation purposes. If successful, he hopes it will inspire uses elsewhere. He warns, however, that while in Hawaii they felt confident using the technique because mosquitoes are an invasive species that have only been around for 200 years and therefore play no major ecological role, in other countries where they are native, the technique could have unintended repercussions to the ecosystem. One of the major barriers to releasing the insects in Hawaii has been the remote, mountainous terrain, prone to strong winds and unpredictable weather. The program has had to rely mainly on helicopters for releases, but these are expensive to run and there are a limited number on the archipelago, with competing needs for firefighting, safety and tourism, says Farmer. Often, missions have had to be called off last minute due to weather, he adds. This is where drones come in. After months of testing the aerial vehicles in demanding conditions, checking their range, and designing protective, temperature-controlled parcels that can safely carry mosquitoes and be fixed onto the body, they successfully started deploying mosquitoes by drone in June. It is the 'first known instance of specialized mosquito pods being dropped by drones,' says Adam Knox, project manager for ABC's aerial deployment of mosquitoes. 'We have more flexibility with deployment timing in areas that generally have very unpredictable weather and it's safer because no humans need to ride in the aircraft to deploy the mosquitoes.' It also 'reduces costs, team flight times, emissions and noise, which in turn means cheaper, more sustainable deployments,' he adds. Farmer expects it to be a year or so before they will see the results of the deployments and whether the IIT technique is working. However, he is hopeful that it will help 'buy time' for the birds to recover. A recent study from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute found there is still time to save honeycreepers like the ʻakekeʻe from extinction if IIT mosquito control efforts are successful. Christopher Kyriazis, postdoctoral researcher from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and lead author of the report, told CNN that their modeling demonstrated the urgency of the situation: 'If you wait even a couple years, the window narrows really quickly.' While IIT is 'ambitious' and has never been used on this scale for these sorts of conservation aims before, he believes 'there is hope for the species, if it can be effective.' If mosquito populations were under control, there is the possibility that the honeycreepers would have time to replenish populations and with more genetic diversity, and may even develop their own resistance to avian malaria. There are already signs of that happening with one honeycreeper species, the 'amakihi, on Hawaii Island, says Farmer. Related article The fish collectors hoping to save rare species from extinction However, Kyriazis cautions that 'even if a (protective) mutation did arise at this point, for it to be able to spread through the population fast enough to save it is very unlikely.' A safer environment would also give the opportunity to reintroduce captive populations of birds like the 'akikiki; although it is extinct in the wild, some are being bred at bird conservation centers in Hawaii. For Farmer, being at the forefront of this effort and seeing birds go extinct is 'soul shattering.' But it also drives him. 'We have the ability to save these species,' he says. 'If we don't save these birds in this decade, then they probably won't be here for the future. And so the ability to make a difference in the world, make a difference in the future, motivates us all.'
Sinar Daily
22-07-2025
- Health
- Sinar Daily
Health Ministry to deploy AI to detect dengue hotspots early
The predictive AI tool is designed to pinpoint high-risk areas before case numbers rise, enabling more targeted intervention. 22 Jul 2025 03:48pm Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad - BERNAMA FILE PIX KUALA LUMPUR - The Health Ministry is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) system to predict and identify dengue hotspots, as part of efforts to strengthen early detection and outbreak response. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat today that the predictive AI tool is designed to pinpoint high-risk areas before case numbers rise, enabling more targeted intervention. "Dengue-related deaths have now exceeded Covid-19 fatalities. So far this year, there have been 21 dengue deaths, compared to just one from Covid-19," he said during the question-and-answer session. However, he noted the situation has improved from last year, when Malaysia recorded over 83,000 dengue cases and 117 deaths. Dr Dzulkefly was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PN-Kuala Langat), who asked about measures to tackle recurring dengue outbreaks. He said Selangor continues to record the highest number of cases, followed by Kuala Lumpur. He also highlighted the effectiveness of the Wolbachia mosquito programme, which is being implemented in 45 localities. The programme has achieved success rates of between 45 per cent and 100 per cent in suppressing Aedes mosquito populations, he added. Regarding dengue vaccine development, Dr Dzulkefly said that research and development efforts are ongoing at Universiti Malaya under the ministry's direction. - BERNAMA More Like This
The Sun
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
AI to detect dengue hotspots early in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry (MOH) is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) system to predict and identify dengue hotspots, as part of efforts to strengthen early detection and outbreak response. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat today that the predictive AI tool is designed to pinpoint high-risk areas before case numbers rise, enabling more targeted intervention. 'Dengue-related deaths have now exceeded COVID-19 fatalities. So far this year, there have been 21 dengue deaths, compared to just one from COVID-19,' he said during the question-and-answer session. However, he noted the situation has improved from last year, when Malaysia recorded over 83,000 dengue cases and 117 deaths. Dr Dzulkefly was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PN–Kuala Langat), who asked about measures to tackle recurring dengue outbreaks. He said Selangor continues to record the highest number of cases, followed by Kuala Lumpur. He also highlighted the effectiveness of the Wolbachia mosquito programme, which is being implemented in 45 localities. The programme has achieved success rates of between 45 per cent and 100 per cent in suppressing Aedes mosquito populations, he added. Regarding dengue vaccine development, Dr Dzulkefly said that research and development efforts are ongoing at Universiti Malaya under the ministry's direction. - Bernama
