Monday, July 18, 2005
Someone's Head Is Going To Explode
The world is rife with stories of invasive species being transported to places they don't belong and taking over. But usually it is a predatory thing. They either breed or eat more native species out of existence. That's why this story is pretty funny.
They are going to try and obliterate the frogs, but then I cannot help but believe that that will bring PETA running to the scene, and then how do you do it? Poison? What about "collateral damage?" Introduce a predator? What will it eat after it's done with the frogs?
See, the real point is sometimes we don't control nature - we can't! We are neither as constructive or destructive to the world as we think we are.
It's hard to imagine a tiny, 2-inch frog could cause so much harm. Beloved in its native Puerto Rico, the coqui frog has become a menace in Hawaii, where it suddenly appeared in the 1990s. With no natural predators, such as snakes, to keep their numbers under control, the frogs and their loud "ko-KEE'' mating calls have multiplied exponentially -- causing headaches for homeowners.Let's see...environmentalists hate development, the frogs are driving it down. Environmentalists hate invasive species for the reasons I cited above. Who are they going to root for here?
Some believe the noisy amphibians could also cause serious damage to Hawaii's economy if they drag down housing prices, which real estate agents say is a distinct possibility. Officials have begun an extermination effort on several islands, hoping to get the problem under control before long-term economic losses set in.
They are going to try and obliterate the frogs, but then I cannot help but believe that that will bring PETA running to the scene, and then how do you do it? Poison? What about "collateral damage?" Introduce a predator? What will it eat after it's done with the frogs?
See, the real point is sometimes we don't control nature - we can't! We are neither as constructive or destructive to the world as we think we are.
