Why 550 tons of poison will be dropped on this island by helicopters
Conservationists are planning to drop 550 tons of poison on Marion Island to eradicate an invasive mouse population. The rodents have been attacking native seabirds, threatening the island's fragile ecosystem.
Why it matters
Invasive species management is critical for biodiversity, especially in isolated island ecosystems vulnerable to climate change and predator disruption.
Mice are some of the most invasive animals on the planet. Quick to enter and escape they have managed to make many a human mind burst with anger and panic. The max that can be done about them is setting up a trap or spreading some poison around. But imagine an island filled with mice running around, disturbing the flora and fauna and creating absolute mayhem. What would you do then? Apparently, hire six helicopters to drop a whopping 550 tons of poison on the land.Marion Island, a subantarctic island managed by South Africa is the target of a large-scale eradication project where all the focus is on removing the mice from the island.
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