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Drones Unleashed Against Invasive Rats in the Galápagos

posted by mrpg on Saturday January 26 2019, @09:21PM   Printer-friendly
from the tortugas dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00176-z

A conservation group is using drones to eradicate invasive rats by dropping poison on two small islands in Ecuador’s Galápagos archipelago — the first time such an approach has been used on vertebrates in the wild. The operation, which began on 12 January on North Seymour island in the Galápagos National Park, aims to protect native animals and plants from the destructive rodents.

Rats and other non-native species have caused extensive damage to the Galápagos, whose unique flora and fauna evolved in isolation for millions of years. In the process, native species lost many defence mechanisms against predators. Rats, which reproduce quickly and eat a wide variety of plants and animals, have been a target of eradication campaigns across the Galápagos.

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  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday January 26 2019, @10:12PM (7 children)

    by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Saturday January 26 2019, @10:12PM (#792454) Homepage

    Using drones to kill could also change how conservation scientists view such work, Morley says, comparing the approach to modern warfare. “You used to be able to see your opponent. Now, you just a press a button and you fire a missile,” he says. “You become a little bit detached from the reality that you have killed something or somebody over there.”

    Oh Jesus H. fucking Christ. Gimme a tent, a .22, and some traps and I'll go waste those motherfuckers for you, for free.

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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by mr_bad_influence on Saturday January 26 2019, @10:19PM (6 children)

    by mr_bad_influence (3854) on Saturday January 26 2019, @10:19PM (#792456)

    How about a few hungry mountain lions?

    That is not without risk and can have it's own unintended consequences. Just ask Australia.

    I also wonder if they will be able to eliminate the total population since it only takes 2 rats to start another. Probably with enough time and monitoring they could.

    • (Score: 3, Funny) by RandomFactor on Saturday January 26 2019, @10:40PM (1 child)

      by RandomFactor (3682) Subscriber Badge on Saturday January 26 2019, @10:40PM (#792464) Journal

      I can't imagine Mt. Lions being the right choice. They would eat all the other easier to catch and less feisty fauna first I would think.

      EF + unlimited ammunition sounds good. I would throw in some night vision as well.

      --
      В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 27 2019, @08:35PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 27 2019, @08:35PM (#792729)

        Just pop them with an xray gun or microwaves, or use rodent specific bait with small amounts of short halflife radioisotopes.

        If you can sterilize the population then once generation of pests is not a big deal to wipe them out once and for all.

        Even if you get 2 fertile rats left, unless they mate with each other you don't have a rodent problem when they finally die of natural causes or cancer. Plus with hot isotopes the radiation danger to other fauna is minimized.

    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Saturday January 26 2019, @11:06PM

      by JoeMerchant (3937) on Saturday January 26 2019, @11:06PM (#792472)

      Probably with enough time and monitoring they could.

      Until the next pregnant female jumps off a cargo ship or plane... rinse, lather, repeat.

      The predator approach is more or less doomed to failure at eradication, predators just keep a population in check. To truly tame the rat problem, something needs to compete for its resources - unfortunately, whatever can out-compete rats for rat resources is likely more of a problem than the rats...

      --
      🌻🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @11:13PM (2 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 26 2019, @11:13PM (#792474)

      Spay and neuter them first so they can't have children.

      • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 27 2019, @05:10AM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 27 2019, @05:10AM (#792544)

        We're talking about rats, not muslims

        • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 27 2019, @12:36PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 27 2019, @12:36PM (#792607)

          Referring to the mountain lions. Spay and neuter them first.