Mosquito birth control seeks to zap avian malaria Disease threatens native birds; project could start next year
Local scientists are steps closer to playing mosquito matchmaker in an effort to quell avian malaria, one of the top threats to native birds facing extinction, such as Maui’s kiwikiu.
The multiagency mosquito control project, the first of its kind in the state, is currently in the process of acquiring state and federal permits. Trials could happen as early as next year if approvals move forward, Lainie Berry, a forest bird biologist with the state, said during a recent Board of Land and Natural Resources meeting.
Scientists would release male mosquitoes carrying a specific strain of bacteria. Upon mating with wild female mosquitoes, the match made in a science lab would create nonviable eggs.
