Recklessly: Brown Tree Snake Kauai

Brown Tree Snake Kauai

Brown tree snake the cat eyes appearance is a distinguishing characteristic. Kailua kona hawaii ap the hawaii department of agriculture is importing four dangerously invasive brown tree snakes in an effort to prevent the species from establishing themselves in the.

Guam
Guam

Guam like hawaii has no native snake species.

Brown tree snake kauai. Brown tree snake the brown tree snake is a non native mildly venomous highly aggressive and unwelcome invasive species of snake that presumably made its way to hawaii via aircraft from guam. After the species was accidentally introduced to guam in the mid 20th century it colonized the island and preyed relentlessly on native species causing the decline local elimination or extinction of several species of birds fruit bats and lizards. The district of columbia hawaii the commonwealth of puerto rico and any possession of the united states without a permit.

In case youre unfamiliar with guams infamous snake problem the island is known for hosting an invasion of venomous brown snakes that have wreaked havoc on its native animal population. An injurious wildlife listing would not prohibit intrastate transport or. Doi united states geological survey.

While only a handful of brown tree snakes have been found to date brown tree snakes pose a serious threat to hawaiis fragile ecosystem. Lihue invasive species experts on kauai arent concerned about the states plan to bring four brown tree snakes to hawaii and its not just because the reptiles will only be on oahu. Today the honolulu star advertiser affirms that the brown tree snake continues to be a costly threat to hawaii and may cost the state upwards of 2 million per year in damages.

In the vein of upholding the prevailing utopian view of hawaiiand more importantly of shielding its ecosystem from catastrophethere are a number of laws in effect throughout the state. Now researchers have shown its not just the birds and rodents that have suffered the growth of new trees could be falling by as much as 92 percent thanks to the snakes appetites. The snakes are males that will have been sterilized according to the hawaii department of agriculture.

The brown tree snake is a species that is known to cause major damage in other places most notably guam. A wildlife specialist holding a brown tree snake boiga irregularis that was captured on a military base in guam as part of a program to prevent the species from spreading to hawaii. Snakes have caused more than 1600 power outages in the 20 yr period of 1978 1997 and most recently nearly 200 outages per year.

The brown tree snake causes frequent electrical power outages by climbing power lines and getting into transformers and electrical boxes. Its bird fauna had adapted to life without slithering predators. The brown tree snake boiga irregularis also known as the brown catsnake is an arboreal rear fanged colubrid snake native to eastern and northern coastal australia eastern indonesia sulawesi to papua papua new guinea and many islands in northwestern melanesia.

Photo by gordon rodda.

Brown Tree Snake Wikipedia