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+--- Thread: rat lungworm in Australia, too (/showthread.php?tid=19265)
RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - kalakoa - 03-07-2018
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2018/03/07/hawaii-news/funding-measures-to-fight-rat-lungworm-little-fire-ants-move-forward/
The funds would support tests on effective means for deworming rats to reduce transmission ...
Why aren't we simply eliminating the rats?
RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - PaulW - 03-07-2018
"Why aren't we simply eliminating the rats?"
I'm sure there's a good reason, e.g. if you kill them then they'll just be replaced with other wormy rats.
If you let them live then they can potentially outperform their worm-ridden rivals and replace them.
RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 03-07-2018
Why aren't we simply eliminating the rats?
We were discussing that very question over on the rat lungworm bill thread last week. The only other explanation I've come up with since that time is that poison bait could also kill domestic pets and adulterate feral pig meat which humans might consume. Bait that would worm rats, but not kill them might be considered safer??? Just a guess.
Declare yourself a success: you'll be admired by those who've declared themselves failures. - Last Aphorisms
RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - kalakoa - 03-07-2018
Bait that would worm rats, but not kill them might be considered safer???
What if the bait simply rendered the rats infertile?
Similar to one of the strategies to eliminate mosquitos.
Either of which would seem to be a permanent solution, and therefore not useful as a perpetual source of funding.
RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - Chas - 03-07-2018
A while back I caught the last half of a Nat Geo show on rats and they had come to the conclusion that it was impossible to eliminate them because they are so smart and adapt to any technique used.
They apparently learn by observation. They know when a fellow rat dies of poison and will stop eating it. They quickly recognize traps and how to avoid them.
I think the show was called “Rats!”. It was really interesting. I wish I had seen it from the beginning. They are way smarter than previously thought, which explains why they’ve been around for so long.
RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 03-07-2018
When researchers eliminated rats on Palmyra Atoll southwest of Hawaii, they unexpectedly wiped out the misquote population as well:
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/pest-control-two-for-the-price-of-one/
What if here on Hawaii Island we could get rid of some or all of the rats, which may reduce their predators, feral cats as well, and then a percentage of the mosquito population? If there was a future dengue outbreak it might be easier to control.
Declare yourself a success: you'll be admired by those who've declared themselves failures. - Last Aphorisms
RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - Tink - 03-07-2018
Smart they are indeed. If they “find” a new source of food along their normal route they will take a small taste. If they get sick, they will return to the “new” food source and pee on it to warn the others not to touch it.
They are also trap savvy, and will pass up a trap if there is easier food to find.
Best method would be for County to put a bounty on them, as plenty Keiki with high powered pellet rifles, and some adults too, would love to turn in a sack or two for some extra coin in their pocket.
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RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - Kapoho Joe - 03-07-2018
Bounty programs have always worked when an animal population gets out of control.
RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - kalakoa - 03-07-2018
turn in a sack or two for some extra coin
I'm sure nobody would think to grow their own.
RE: rat lungworm in Australia, too - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 03-07-2018
nobody would... grow their own.
Good jobs! For Puna!
Declare yourself a success: you'll be admired by those who've declared themselves failures. - Last Aphorisms