Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden

Brown Tree Snake a Threat to Hawaii’s `Aina, People and Economy

Today in Hawaii, we have the opportunity to speak up and prevent the introduction of a dangerous species of snake from Guam. The brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) is native to the Solomon Islands, New Guinea and Australia. It arrived in Guam via military transport around 1950. It now numbers up to 10,000 per square mile in some locations. Reaching 8-10 feet in length, this troublesome reptile has nearly wiped out Guam's bird populations (nine of 12 species of native birds are extinct) and causes, on average, one power outage every three days when it slithers up power poles and shorts the lines.

These snakes crawl into cribs and bite infants, who are unable to protect themselves. Several of these attacks have led to respiratory arrest, but not death. The island’s previously thriving poultry industry has been devastated because the snake crawls into coops and eats the eggs and chicks. Many young dogs and cats also have been killed.

Unlike other introduced pests, like the coqui frog, we know about this snake in advance. It is such a serious threat that the U.S. Department of Defense has been spending about $2 million each year to make sure it stays on Guam. However, funds have been cut as of May 31, 2007 for the Guam interdiction program. Without this program, the snakes will hitch rides on civilian and military aircraft and other forms of transport bound for Hawaii and beyond. It has been sighted and captured on the mainland, because it wraps around the undercarriage of planes and stows away on ships, so Hawaii is not the only place that is in danger of its introduction. The efforts to keep it out must not be stopped. We have the ability and the power to prevent an environmental catastrophe in Hawaii.

Hawaii is the “endangered species capital of the world” because we have more plants and animals that are in danger of extinction than any other place on Earth. More than one-third of all the threatened and endangered birds in the United States are found only in Hawaii.

Why do plants and animals become endangered? Development, of which Hawaii continues to see plenty, is only one cause. Another is the introduction of alien species, whether intentional or accidental. Invasive species are “alien species that cause ecological damage by out-competing native species, reducing biological diversity and changing ecological function,” according to the Maui Invasive Species Committee. Examples on the Big Island include coqui frogs, mongoose, rats, Miconia, Albizia, and many others.

“Hawaii's evolutionary isolation from the continents and its modern role as a commercial hub of the Pacific make these islands particularly vulnerable to alien pest introductions,” according to the Hawaii Ecosystems at Risk web site (www.HEAR.org).

Experts warn that if just one pregnant brown tree snake were introduced, she could begin a colonization that could devastate Hawaii's environment and tourist-dependent economy. Like Guam, Hawaii has suitable habitat and food for this snake, and relatively few predators to control it.

Won’t the Mongoose Eat This Snake?

The USGS website says, “This is probably the most frequently asked question regarding the brown treesnake… While introducing predators has been attempted in many situations across the world, it has more often than not met with disastrous results. Introducing the mongoose has been attempted for controlling snakes and rats on islands (e.g., in Japan and the Caribbean), but mongoose were found to commonly feed on nontarget species as well as snakes and, while the snake and rat populations continued to proliferate, the more vulnerable nontarget species suffered greatly.”

And, like the misguided attempt to control rats in Hawaii by the introduction of the mongoose in 1883, we have learned the hard way that the mongoose is diurnal (active during the day), while rats, and this snake, are nocturnal (active only at night). “The mongoose is a classic case of biological control run amok,” says the University of Colorado web site. When it was introduced to Hawaii for control of rats in sugarcane, it preyed on native ground nesting birds and other creatures, causing extinction and endangerment of many species.

The USDA wrote to me, “we are currently working with U.S. Department of Defense officials to secure the necessary funding to continue brown tree snake operations through fiscal year 2007. If this proves to be unsuccessful, we will conduct a reduced brown tree snake interdiction program on Guam through the remainder of this fiscal year until full funding can be restored.” This is promising news, but we should not rest on our laurels until this issue is satisfactorily resolved. Also, Senator Daniel Inouye is working to secure funding. It is important that as many people as possible write or call him to express our concern and encourage him and other legislators to ensure that our safety and the care of our `aina is respected.

Upcoming Events:

May 6: Panaewa Zoo Annual Plant Sale, Hilo
Join me and many others from 9:00-2:00 at this fabulous once a year event.
May 18: Evie’s Natural Groceries, Kealakekua
I’ll be holding a free “talk story” about herbs at Evie’s on May 18 from 4:00-6:00. 79-7460 Mamalahoa Hwy., Mango Court #3.
May 19: Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, Captain Cook
Medicinal Plants of Hawaii, with David Leonard, L.Ac. Members $5; general public $20.
Saturday Morning Classes at Hi`iaka’s Garden:
Call 966-6126 or visit www.hiiakas.com to register.

ON THE WEB:

Daniel Inouye: Big Island office: 935-0844 (Delbert Nishimoto); http://inouye.senate.gov/abtform.html
www.hear.org/articles/btsworldcon1997
www.fort.usgs.gov/Resources/Education/BTS
www.bishopmuseum.org/exhibits/greenwell/greenwell.html
http://lib.colostate.edu/research/agnic/invspecies/impacts.html

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Barbara Fahs is the owner and creator of Hi`iaka's Healing Herb Garden, LLC and author of the book Super Simple Guide to Creating Hawaiian Gardens. Contact her at 966-6126 or www.hiiakas.com.