Imagine Hawaii without rats and mosquitoes (house, food, island)

[Arktikos]

Too good to be true? Forced invasive pest sterilization.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/op...smtyp=cur&_r=0

[YoungTraveler2011]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

Too good to be true? Forced invasive pest sterilization.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/op...smtyp=cur&_r=0

That's what we call Southern California

[hotzcatz]

Maybe they can do something about the coqui, too, while they're at it.

They already do this although they don't always use a genetically modified vector. Currently, there's a moth that supposed to be eating the fireweed. It was released a couple years ago and while there's still fireweed out there, there seems to be less of it. Years ago they released another insect that ate cactus flowers so the cactus that was covering the pastures would be decimated. You still see an intermittent cactus, but not the whole fields of them like there used to be.

Occasionally there are spectacular failures, such as the mongoose which was supposed to eat the rats, but the mongoose work the day shift and the rats work the night shift so they never meet. Mongoose decimate native birds by eating their eggs and babies. I don't see the cane toads as that much of a failure, they are toxic if dogs eat them, although usually they just mouth them and get all foamy mouthed and sick but not die. The toads still eat a lot of the bugs they are supposed to so that part is working. There are a lot less toads now, though, than there used to be. At one time you'd see a smashed toad about every five feet on the road, now if you see one or two in a year it's fairly remarkable. Maybe the toads have just learned to stay off the roads.

So, they aren't actually proposing to do much of anything new other than doing the GMO on the vectors. Things can still be benefited or destroyed whether the vector was GMO modified or not.

[KonaKat]

and mongoose. without mongoose would also be nice.


and one of my cats just caught a cocqui or some other tiny little frog, brought it in, spit it out and now it's under my desk!

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

...So, they aren't actually proposing to do much of anything new other than doing the GMO on the vectors. Things can still be benefited or destroyed whether the vector was GMO modified or not.

Seems to me that it's a totally different strategy, introducing terminator genes within a species for the purpose of eradicating it, rather than introducing a predator species to feed on it.

The question is: Would this new strategy also be subject to unintended and undesirable consequences?

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by KonaKat

and mongoose. without mongoose would also be nice.


and one of my cats just caught a cocqui or some other tiny little frog, brought it in, spit it out and now it's under my desk!

Those coqui can sometimes find their way inside on their own too!

[Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z]

Just being able to nearly eradicate mosquitoes and certain rat and mice species seems to me like it would be a huge benefit to much of the world--both to endangered species affected by these animals who spread disease and eat young and flora that endemic species rely on for survival, and to humans who are affected by these vermin via the diseases they can carry, not just the Hawaiian islands. While I generally don't go in for Genetic modification, I can certainly see how using it in cases like these could be a real godsend. Then again, I'm one of those people who think that the only good wild rat, mouse, or mosquito is a dead one--as long as I don't have to do the killing! Genetic modification that eradicates or at least seriously dwindling the population of these species simply by preventing them from being able to successfully reproduce sounds like a good thing to me.

[Kalei]

Wouldn't it be nice to get rid of unwanted mice and bugs? But my concern in this fast food society is where would we draw the line? Ok first we would say rodents and some bugs? But them what about feral cats in Oahu next?( we have a major problem with them and they are trouble some) or what about sharks? They bite tourists and are bothersome? Maybe the bar to judge shouldn't be about bothersome or nuisances. I know my example is really dramatic but is it really? We humans can justify anything with enough popularity behind it.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by KonaKat

and mongoose. without mongoose would also be nice.


and one of my cats just caught a cocqui or some other tiny little frog, brought it in, spit it out and now it's under my desk!

He just brought you a present! Good kitty! Our cat did that with a lizard once and freaked my mom out.

[Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z]

Hey, if you guys have problems with those beautiful little Gold Dust Day Geckos (lizards), feel free to send some to me. I could set up a breeding colony with 6 or so of those amazing critters . And I don't have any cats to drag them into the house .