AR-News: (NT) Exotic ants a serious threat in NT -

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/stories/s1002456.htm




Pest ants are posing a serious environmental, economic and social threat to 
Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.

A recent survey on the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin found nine exotic ant 
species, three of which are highly significant.

CSIRO Ecologist Ben Hoffman says the ants can displace native animals, and 
affect agriculture, and it's imperative an eradication program begins soon.

"Pirlangimpi for example is almost an entire super colony of African big 
headed ants; Milikapiti we found three-hundred and three colonies of ginger ants; 
and Nguiu, basically every single house was infested with Singapore ants and 
causing major problems in the electrics, and it appears it's cost in excess of 
$AU70 thousand just in electrical repairs at Nguiu alone in the past 12 
months."
This is a transcript from the ABC National Rural News that is broadcast daily 
to all states on ABC Regional Radio's Country Hour and in the city on ABC 
News Radio.




"To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only 
legitimate hope of survival." -Wendell Berry 
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