Subject: Introduced species was Re: Demise of natural Cattails?
From: Matt Trahan <matttrahan@ecsu.campus.mci.net>
Organization: CampusMCI
Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 12:22:27 -0400
Message-ID: <MOD$970906.7148@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$970830.8016@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$970831.15104@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$970901.5713@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$970901.15062@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$970903.6404@rec.gardens.ecosystems>


Ed Clarke wrote: You intoduce the mongoose, which eats
> >>snakes.
> >>But also eats bird's eggs...
> >Is this a true story? If so, sould you please tell me more about it?
>
> Don't know about snakes, but if you substitute rats then you get the
> situation in Hawaii (Maui to be exact). Rats came off of old sailing
> ships and started killing the birds. A missionary thinks "Hmmmm, they
> use mongooses to control rats ..." and imports them. Now the Hawaii
> state bird (Neni (sp?)) is endangered by both rats and mongooses.

We had them (mongoose) on the Big Island too. Lived there for 5 years
about 6 years ago.
Another ironic (and depressing) factor in this introduction was that
the rats are mostly nocturnal, and the mongoose are mostly active during
the day. They seldom even met each other! So the mongoose had to find
other prey.
A classic example of why introduced biological controls is now more
carefully researched before they are released.
From what I've read and been told, most of Hawaii is a labratory of
what happens when you introduce 'non native' species.
A few local friends (also an 'introduced species' [VBG]) would mention
it from time to time.

Did you know that many of the flowers Hawaii is 'known for' were
introduced?

>
> By the way, those damn things are FAST! Good thing they're small or
> it'd be like the movie Aliens ...
Know anyone with a ferret for a pet? My sister-in-law has 7! Mostly
cute and cuddly, like active kittens that never grow up. But I can't
stop thinking of the movie Ben...they *are* carnivores.
Having all 7 romping and playing on and around you is fun, but...

Matt Trahan
USDA zone 8, Sunset zone 31, northeastern N.C.

It all needs doing... and I'm kinda focused in a scattered sort of way.