Thursday, May 15, 2014

Albino Cobras are threatening wildlife in Gran Canaria

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Several experts in invasive species will meet this week on the island of Gran Canaria to debate the best way to control the spread of an albino variety of the Serpent-King-California-reptile that is usually quite popular as pet-, whose number has increased considerably in recent years is decimating the local birds and several species of lizards.

Originally brought to the island as pets, this species to spare was released or escaped from captivity for several decades, indicates Ramón Gallo, a biologist who leads efforts to control the population of snakes, through a project called LIFE + Lampropeltis.

Without natural predators and with a coastal climate and mild temperatures, at all similar to those California conditions, snakes-King albino multiplied over the past eight years more than two thousand snakes were captured and it is thought that thousands of other animals living underground on the island.

This species of snake represents little danger to humans. However, animal life the situation is different, since hungry predators, feeding on birds, small rodents and rabbits. Particularly disturbing to the researchers is the taste of this snake by the Gran Canaria giant lizard, a species endemic to the island. A recent comparison of the population of lizards in the areas with snakes and snakes revealed a ratio of one to ten. "This could lead to the extinction of lizard," says Gallo, quoted by the Guardian.

Currently, the proliferation of snakes is limited to two areas in the East and Northwest of the island. The first snakes of this species have been sighted in freedom for 20 years. However, about 70% of residents still afraid of snakes. Often, the population usually find these snakes in cages of domestic birds, which assail to feed the birds.

The meeting of experts is part of the project for four years, LIFE + Lampropeltis, which aims to reduce the population of albino snakes to half. Released in 2011 and with a budget of more than € 1 million, the project foresees the training still dogs and Falcons to exterminate the invasive snakes as well as conducting more than 200 workshops to teach the locals how to kill snakes.

Foto: highlander411/Creative Commons

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