The ongoing BTS control program, carried out by Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs, is an operational and research program designed to prevent the dispersal of this invasive species from Guam to other areas. The additional funding will be used to enhance current BTS operations in Guam, i.e. trapping and bait delivery methods, facility renovations, and a public awareness campaign.
“Guam’s ecosystem has been devastated by the brown tree snake and it is important to address this invasive species on the island without it spreading and destroying other island communities,” said Babauta. “Eventually we want to be able to move towards a more robust strategy of reintroducing Guam’s native bird species, but in the meantime the additional funding will assist Guam prepare for the increased commercial activity attributed to the realigning of U.S. forces in the near future.”
The additional, reprogrammed, funding was made at the request of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and approved by relevant committees in the U.S. Congress.
“I thank Secretary Salazar and Assistant Secretary Babauta for their initiative to enhance the BTS program on Guam,” said Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo. “In the past the BTS program has primarily been focused on eradication and controlling the spread to other islands in our region and affecting their delicate ecosystems. The additional funding from the Department of the Interior is an important step to more comprehensively address the problems posed by brown tree snakes on Guam. This funding will allow our local and federal agencies to focus on integrating strategies for the rejuvenation of threatened species, like the ko’ko’ or Guam Rail, an important symbol of our community.”
