February 27, 2008
Warming America: A Python Paradise?
I heard on the news the other day that a new USGS survey found that with the current warming climate, one third of the United States will become prime territory for the non-naitve pythons.
They're slithering closer and closer, guys! These are USGS maps of the current python-friendly habitat and where they may be able to slither by 2100.
Maps by USGS
Already, foolish pet owners often release their unwanted pet snakes into the wild, which has caused a lot of problems in places like the Everglades, where the snakes constrictors can outcompete the native wildlife, including gators, for meals. Now places like San Francisco are prime new hunting grounds for these invasive reptiles.
Meanwhile, people are coming in contact with wildlife more often, as suburbs spread, and open space dwindles. Just this week, a family in Australia had a close encounter with a 16-foot python in their yard, with tragic results.
BRISBANE, Australia - A 16-foot python stalked a family dog for days before swallowing the pet whole in front of horrified children in the Australian tropics, animal experts said Wednesday.
The boy and girl, aged 5 and 7, watched as the scrub python devoured their silky terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed Monday at their home near Kuranda in Queensland state.
Stuart Douglas, owner of the Australian Venom Zoo in Kuranda, said scrub pythons typically eat wild animals such as wallabies, a smaller relative of the kangaroo, but sometimes turn to pets in urban areas.
"It actively stalked the dog for a number of days," Douglas said.
"The family that owned the dog had actually seen it in the dog's bed, which was a sign it was out to get it," he added.
"They should have called me then, but (the snake) got away and three or four days later, I was called and went around and removed it" after the dog had been killed, Douglas said.
By the time Douglas arrived, all that could be seen of the dog was its hind legs and tail.
More at: MSNBC: Python stalks, eats family dog in front of kids
Soon no Chihuahua will be safe…
Posted by sorsha at 5:02 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
April 18, 2007
Peak Pest Period: Invasives & Summer Travel
We touched down in Nairobi, Kenya, in the early morning as the day was just beginning and the temperature was still mild. It was our second international stop on our trip around the world, and we were tired but excited.
As we taxied to a stop, flight attendants walked swiftly up and down the cabin, spraying a white fog of undefined purpose. We all covered our faces, coughing. Not the most pleasant experience, but at least on our flight out when they did it again, they explained that it was a pesticide and we could cover our faces if we wanted, but it had "no harmful effects" for humans.
I give them an A for effort and a D for execution, since no one, not even the flight attendants, could explain what or why, just that they had to do it as a policy. Invasives sneak into your luggage, and travel along with you, just like the flu virus travels the world, and all have found airplanes to be the best mode of travel.
Think about it: a hitchhiking insect or plant is more likely to make it to the new environment if it gets there quickly. Slow trains and ships often subject goods (and people) to drastically different conditions such as extreme heat and cold, on the way to the destination, whereas the regulated cabin of an airliner is designed as an enclosed pocket of steady climate for you reach your destination comfortably and quickly. Even if the invasive arrives in bad shape, if the destination provides a welcoming habitat, then the invasive can recover - often with disastrous results.
This new research may help explain why:
...research reveals that—as for people in many countries—June, July, and August are the peak months for long-distance travel.
Previous studies have shown that international flights are a significant factor in unwelcome insect invasion. Some 73 percent of recorded pest interceptions in the U.S., in fact, occur at airports.
...
Pest transfer between far-flung locations is more likely when the weather is similar in both regions, making it easy for the pests to settle into their new home.
...
"Hawaii, with its moderate year-round climate, is a hot spot for pest invasions," Tatem said. "It is linked to a similar climate in Central America in April, Asia in July, and the Caribbean in October."
In general, though, June, July, and August are the peak months for insect travel.
More At: National Geographic: Invasive Bugs, Plants Prefer Summer Plane Flights
California has agricultural screening facilities on every major highway in and out of the state, but anyone who goes to Tahoe with any regularity knows that they are not always open. When I drove here from Vermont one summer, we camped along the way. At the California border, we had to fork over our head of lettuce. It was the end of summer then, though, whereas the Tahoe Truckee ag station is only a handful of miles from where the Donner Party camped - not much can live at that altitude without a Safeway and PG&E. Still, many coastal areas have very small fluctuation in temperature and rarely get a frost. These areas are more likely to host invasives.
Ironically, one of the invasive plants most complained about in Santa Cruz is the Ice Plant, which grows along highways and seacliffs, choking out natives. Where ice plant grows, little else does. According to Wikipedia, it was Caltrans that first started using ice plant along railways and roadsides, because it grew easily all year round, with low maintenance and pretty flowers, and more importantly, it provided a fire barrier. It also only grows a few inches high, so trimming it would not be an issue. Several killing frosts over the past few decades have decimated swaths of ice plant in Santa Cruz county, leaving it patchy at best.
Perhaps you've had your shoes treated after a trip from Europe, or had your bags Ag-screened after a trip to Hawaii, and you probably thought it was an annoyance. This summer, when you make your travel plans, give a little thought to what you're tracking and where it may be going.
Posted by sorsha at 11:22 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 21, 2007
Macaws On Maui?
We've been in Maui, Hawaii this past week, so I figured we'd share a bit from our travels. So, Picture This...
We are enjoying our dinner in a window table overlooking the beautiful beach at sunset. We’ve literally de-planed and gone straight to our favorite restaurant on Maui, Mama’s Fish House. Ok, so we were a tad early so we went wine tasting up at the Tedeschi Vineyards at 'Ulupalakua Ranch beforehand… but that's another story. We are contentedly sipping our Iwilei Refresher and the Hookipa Sunset when a noise shatters the laidback atmosphere.
SQUAAAAWWWWWKKK!
That noise sounds familiar.... but we can't see its source. Surely it cannot be a...
Our dinner arrives. As we savor our excellent meal of the best Pua Me Hua Hana on the island (Old Hawaii Ono and Mahimahi sautéed in coconut milk, with slow-cooked Kalua pig, Grilled banana, Molokai sweet potato, poi, Island fruit and a fresh coconut) as well as the Crispy Kalua Duck (with mango-mui glaze, baby bok choy and lemongrass rice pilaf), we hear it again.
The unmistakable screech of a macaw, the largest of parrots. A few seconds later, a blue and gold sails down from above us and lands on a nearby palm frond. My father-in-law raises breeding macaws, but never have we seen one fly unencumbered before. No clipped wings here. It’s quite a sight and we are intrigued.
Despite what most people would think (ooh pretty colorful bird, must be Hawaiian)… Macaws are not native to Hawaii but from the rainforests of Central and South America. By dessert (Banana Macadamia Nut Crisp, served warm with Tahitian vanilla ice cream, in case you cared), we have discovered from the restaurant staff that this particular macaw is a former pet set free. The blue and gold is fed by the nearby locals and so the bird sticks around. When my husband approaches, the macaw looks almost willing to jump down onto his arm, given the proper incentive.
Most species of macaws are endangered, mostly because their rainforest habitat is disappearing at alarming rates, but also due to capture of wild ones for the pet trade. A healthy blue and gold macaw can go for several thousand dollars in the US, and macaw feathers are often used in Native American tribal ceremonies.
The larger species of macaws like this blue and gold (Ara ararauna) have very long lives – often upwards of 75 years. Many people buy young hatchlings as pets only to find that a young macaw, if well cared for, is likely to outlive not only them, but their children as well. Unwanted pets are often released into the wild. Lucky for this blue and gold macaw, the Hawaiian Islands offer a similar habitat to what they require – including abundant fruit and nuts.
This particular bird looks very healthy and happy here, despite being non-native. It’s charming personality, keen intelligence and brilliant plumage likely keep it from being harassed.
But while this macaw is unlikely to cause much trouble as a herbivore and a single individual, other non-native species have caused massive damage to the fragile island ecosystem. The mongoose is a prime example of a destructive invasive species.
Check out our Maui, Hawaii podcast - a video program that highlights this beautiful place!
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