komodos in aus by the gov??

[K3nny]

The reality is that we need to start thinking outside the box when it comes to pest management, because currently our systems aren't working. Elephants and komodos are getting a bit silly, but we do need to consider all options.

like say a nuke on central Aus?
or perhaps a space laser aimed down like google maps?
this is getting fun

 

[MathewB]

Has there ever been even one exotic species introduced anywhere in the world to deal with pests that has been proven to be a success as opposed to a disaster?

Yeah, moth/larvae with the prickly pear

 

[waruikazi]

Has there ever been even one exotic species introduced anywhere in the world to deal with pests that has been proven to be a success as opposed to a disaster?

Dung beetles from Africa to clear up cow poop.

Exotic dung beetle solution to dung problem in Australia

 

[El_Lagarto]

There are a lot of examples. For instance the CSRIO have introduced two weevil species and two moth species to control water hyacinth alone.

Biological controls are also extensively used in agriculture. It's probably a lot more common that most people realise.

 

[-Katana-]

Just remember Tasmania is the state that thought allowing Gunns to clear fell virgin old growth forests, replant the land with timber plantations and poisoning starving displaced native wildlife with baits so they wouldn't eat the young trees was going to be great for their economy.

Just a veritable fount of awesome environmental solutions, aren't they?

 

[Nighthawk]

For some reason now I have the story of the old lady who swallowed a fly stuck in my head... am I the only one?

 

[PythonLegs]

Our council can pay teams of guys to wander up and down the beach all day picking up driftwood, I can't see why cane toad teams would be too much of a stretch, or pig/cat/buffalo teams in other areas, either. Although, I think most of our local council workers would struggle to muster up the speed and intelligence to find and out pace a toad.

 

[JasonL]

Komodos wouldn't survive in Aus because of the cane toads..

Dont know about that, there are many "Bufo" species of toads throughout asia and asian animals have either learned not to or are able to eat them, thus keelbacks, which are really an "Australasian" form of Colubrid of which SE asia has many species of, can handle a little Bufo toxin in their dinner..

Many species of African game animals have already been released into the Australian outback at the tern of the century, even taronga zoo has been reported to have released excess antelope into the royal NP, but they did not survive for one reason or another... for those who are interested in an eye opening book, Tim Low's "Feral Future" books are a good read.