Latest news with #cropDamage
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Officials offer cash prizes to residents to fight back against slug invasion: 'Last summer, the situation got out of hand'
An unwelcome visitor has pushed authorities in southern Finland to offer cash prizes for its removal. The so-called Spanish slug is an aggressive and invasive gastropod that does immense damage to crops throughout Europe. Despite its name, it's not clear where the species actually originated; as the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum reported, German researchers could not find any of them in Spain. Regardless of their native habitat, they have been a pain for dozens of European nations for decades. They are particularly abundant in southern Finland, which is why officials are offering a financial incentive to residents to help eradicate them. "Last summer, the situation got out of hand," Maisa Hautala, city gardener in Lappeenranta, told the Helsinki Times. "We received an overwhelming number of reports about Spanish slugs." To combat this scourge, residents are being offered the modest sum of €6 ($7.03) for every liter of slugs they dispatch. The payout is tied to an app; users upload footage of slugs being sealed in containers and dropped in designated waste bins. Invasive species pose significant threats to biodiversity, as they outcompete indigenous plants and wildlife for resources. In this case, the hungry gastropods feast on their smaller native brethren and damage crops. Because some carry Escherichia coli, their mucus trails can contaminate the produce they contact. As Novia University of Applied Science notes, the slugs can self-fertilize and lay 2-400 eggs at a time, so even a single slug can quickly cause an infestation. Cash incentives have been used to combat invasive species in other areas, while some communities take collective local action. There are different strategies, but the most effective remedy is prevention and strengthening an area's biodiversity with native flora. Such efforts begin at home. Rewilding a yard isn't just good for the ecosystem; it's much easier and cheaper to maintain. What is stopping you from upgrading to a heat pump system? The cost of installation I live in a cold area I don't know enough about it I already have one Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Asharq Al-Awsat
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Monkey Business Delays Sri Lanka's Wildlife Survey
Sri Lanka is withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife, including monkeys and peacocks, because data collected from some farmers appeared unrealistic, a minister said on Monday. Deputy Environment Minister Anton Jayakodi said authorities had begun a review of the nationwide survey conducted on March 15, the first of its kind, because "some of the data was unbelievable". Authorities suggested some enraged farmers might have exaggerated the numbers to suggest that the problem was even bigger, AFP reported. Data in some places appeared "unusually high", officials said. Residents across the island country were asked to count wild boar, peacocks, monkeys and lorises -- a small, largely nocturnal primate -- spotted near farms and homes during a five-minute period. "We started the survey to understand the size of the problem," Jayakodi told reporters in Colombo. "But we now have to review the results... there have been issues with some unusual data." Jayakodi said officials would return to assess data before releasing the final results of the survey, which was aimed at drawing up a national plan to deal with nuisance wildlife. Opposition legislator Nalin Bandara said the survey was "a complete failure, a waste of money". Officials say more than a third of crops are destroyed by wild animals, including elephants that are protected by law because they are considered sacred. While elephants are major raiders of rice farms and fruit plantations, they were not included in the March count. The then agricultural minister proposed in 2023 exporting some 100,000 toque macaques to Chinese zoos but the monkey business was abandoned following protests from environmentalists. Sri Lanka removed several species from its protected list in 2023, including all three of its monkey species as well as peacocks and wild boars, allowing farmers to kill them.
