“THE PACIFIC INVASIVES INITIATIVE”

(PII)

Pacific Ant Prevention Programme

Yellow crazy ants (Anoplopis gracilipes) feeding on a red land crab.

Photo: Phil Lester

Several species of invasive ant currently pose a serious threat to the Pacific region. Elsewhere in the world their establishment has resulted in significant economic, environmental and social impacts, which can be expected to occur if they invade the Pacific.

One invasive ant species, the red imported fire ant (RIFA), is estimated to have a $US1.2 billion/year economic impact in Texas alone. Given that many Pacific island economies are still developing, these ants would have catastrophic consequences.

RIFA also threatens native biodiversity, damages livestock and crops, and is capable of delivering a painful, and sometimes fatal, sting. All of these factors would result in serious impacts on the day-to-day lives of Pacific peoples in the event that RIFA becomes established.

The main way in which ants are introduced is via the movement of goods and people. Established populations of invasive ants are hard to control or eradicate, and so the most cost-effective approach is to prevent their arrival in the first place.

With this in mind the Pacific Ant Prevention Plan was developed in September 2003 at a four-day workshop in Auckland, New Zealand. The goal of the plan is to prevent RIFA (Solenopsis invicta) and other invasive ant species with economic, environmental and social impacts from entering and establishing in countries of the Pacific Region, thereby protecting the economic, environmental and social interests in the area.

 
The Pacific Ant Group was formed and a listserver has been set up to facilitate communication between members of the group. Preventing ants from invading new areas in the Pacific is a priority and the CII is committed to the success of this project.

Please click here for the latest update on the Pacific Ant Prevention Programme.

Last updated 21 March 2006