Drones unleashed against invasive rats in the Galapagos #drone #droneday
Whenever I read about invasive species I can’t help but think of the old lady who swallowed a fly. Via Nature:
A conservation group is using drones to eradicate invasive rats by dropping poison on two small islands in Ecuador’s Galapagos 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 Galapagos 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 Galapagos, 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 Galapagos.
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