Drug-filled Mice Airdropped Over Guam to Kill Snakes
National Geographic
September 24, 2010
The brown tree snake is an invasive species on the island of Guam. It has decimated local wildlife populations, especially birds. In an effort to curb the snake population on the island, the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) has airdropped small mice stuffed with acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol.
The article seems biased towards the USDA, supporting this effort. They argue that curbing the brown tree snake population will help prevent the snake from spreading to other islands, such as Hawaii. The article also emphasizes the steps taken by the USDA to prevent endemic species from consuming the drug-laced mice.
IIA Ecosystem Structure
IIIA Population Biology Concepts
IVA2 Controlling Pests
The situation in which the Brown Tree Snake finds itself in is very unfortunate. Although some species become invasive through intention, the Brown Tree Snake overtook Guam after the WWII unintentionally. Presently, in Guam, they are decimating several of the island's native species. This is one of the main reasons that the US Department of Agriculture feels the need to step in and prevent the snake from spreading to other islands. It upsets me to think of so many animals being killed in such an inhumane way, but I know that sometimes aggressive actions are necessary to control dramatic situations. I also believe, though, that the least amount of snakes possible should be killed in this environment.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with you that there are many ethical considerations in this issue, I do believe that the snakes are being killed in a humane manner. The "poison" they are using is actually a painkiller, acetaminophen, which can kill animals, including humans in high doses. One could also argue that more lives (of other species) would be lost by not eradicating the snake than would be if they were left alone.
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