Hawaii Releases Millions Of Mosquitoes To Save Rare Birds From Extinction (representational image@Pixabay)
As a last resort to save a rare bird species from slipping into extinction, Hawaii released millions of Mosquitoes from helicopters. The brightly coloured honeycreeper birds are dying of malaria, which was first introduced by European and American ships in the 1800s. As the birds have evolved to have no immunity to the disease, the birds appear to die after just a single bite.
Reportedly, the 33 species of the honeycreepers became extinct and many of the 17 that are still remaining are highly endangered. There are concerns that some of it could extinct within a year, if no action was taken. The conservationists are urgently trying to save them with an unusual strategy, that is to release more mosquitoes.
Every week, a helicopter drops 250,000 male mosquitoes with a naturally occurring bacterium that acts as birth control on to the islands of the archipelago. 10 million mosquitoes have already been released, said The Guardian.
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The researchers are using incompatible insect technique (IIT), which involves the releasing of male mosquitoes which possess a naturally occurring bacteria that prevents the egg of the wild females that they mate with from hatching.
The population of the Kaua‘i creeper, or the ‘akikiki’ has dropped from 450 in 2018 to five in 2023. As per the national park service, only one single bird was known to be left in the wild on Kaua‘i island.
The honeycreepers have incredible diversity. Each species has evolved with special beak shapes, and have adapted different food habits, which ranges from snails to fruit and nectar. The birds play significant role in the ecosystem, as it aids in pollinating plants and eating insects.
The remaining of the birds generally live at high elevation, above 1,200 t 1,500 metres (4,000-5,000ft). The avain malaria parasite do not go that high due the cold. However, as the climate started to warm, the mosquitoes are going up.
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The IIT method has been successfully used to reduce mosquito populations in China and Mexico. Such arrangements are continuing in California and Florida. The effectiveness of this programme should become clear in summer when mosquito populations typically boom, said The Guardian.
