The Marin Independent Journal has this story about a project to eradicate Japanese mud snails (Batillaria attramentaria) invading San Francisco Bay. Researchers have put together a volunteer-driven effort to comb Loch Lomond Marina and remove the tiny snails (check out the accompanying photo for a shot of a mom and her 3-year-old daughter joining in!!). While the snail was first introduced to California decades ago, their arrival in San Fransisco Bay was recent enough that scientists think eradication is still a possibility.
Bonus points to the MIJ for including the scientific name of the snail. The ISW has posted many times about the New Zealand mud snail, but never the Japanese one.
7 comments:
I was there in San Francisco when they tried to remove the snails. It was quite an effort. Those pesky snails were very annoying. I would see them when I walked down the street. Good thing I don't live in San Francisco.
I must join in your protest of Japanese invaders. Share in the community:
http://honeyedmouth.blogspot.com
GET USED TO THE FEAR
Sadly, your post reminds me of the time a few years back when a well-meaning newspaper in Geelong (Victoria, Australia) ran a story about how a foreign starfish was endangering a native starfish in Corio Bay, but mixed up the captions on its pictures.
The result, predictably, was that a bunch of locals went down to the bay and killed as many of the endangered local starfish as they could find.
I trust that the good folks at the Marin Independent Journal got their captions right.
The scouts at Camp Scouthaven in Freedom NY cut down a bunch of Japanese Knotweed at the Nature center located there. They then cut up the bamboo like stems and proceeded to make flutes.
Is it ok to kill mud snails? Do we have the right to stop them? If so why? Who put us in charge?
Who put us in charge?
Humans made themselves responsible when they chose to import Japanese oysters to Marin Bay, and when they introduced the mud snails to San Francisco Bay via contaminated boats.
Why do some people think it's okay to passively or actively cause environmental destruction, but whenever someone brings up invasive species control, it's always "Leave Nature Alone"?
@roadkill - You make an extremely good point and I hope I am never witness to such a thing.
Post a Comment