Recent firings of 14 US Fish & Wildlife Service employees, along with a hiring freeze for seasonal workers, jeopardize decades of progress in controlling invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. This action, part of a larger federal government downsizing effort, threatens the multi-million dollar lamprey control program, which protects a multi-billion dollar fishery. A significant reduction in lamprey control efforts could lead to a drastic resurgence of the invasive species, reversing years of conservation success. The potential consequences include the collapse of the Great Lakes’ ecosystem and massive economic losses.
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Following their 2019 arrival in Washington state, four nests of the invasive northern giant hornet were successfully eradicated through a combination of public reporting and targeted trapping efforts. Eradication involved tracking devices and the destruction of colonies, culminating in the discovery and elimination of a nest containing nearly 1,500 hornets in 2023. Despite this success, the potential for future infestations remains, necessitating continued vigilance and trapping. Although rarely attacking humans, these hornets pose a significant threat, resulting in dozens of deaths annually.
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The situation on the warming island with mice breeding out of control and eating seabirds is a truly grim reminder of the impact human activity can have on delicate ecosystems. The need for an extermination plan to address this issue is evident, but the methods proposed raise some valid concerns. The use of helicopters and hundreds of tons of rodent poison is no small feat, and the potential collateral damage to the very birds conservationists are trying to protect is a real risk that cannot be ignored.
Looking back at similar situations on other islands where introduced species wreaked havoc on native wildlife, it is clear that the consequences of human actions can be devastating.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker