THE Division of Fish and Wildlife has reported two recent sightings of brown tree snakes on Rota and Saipan, but these had not resulted in their capture as of yesterday.
Nathaniel B. Hawley, DFW herpetologist, yesterday said the division received a report from a resident of Sinapalo, Rota about a brown tree snake sighting on May 31.
The DFW staff on Rota organized search efforts and set brown tree snake traps in the vicinity of the sighting.
The Guam-based Brown Tree Snake Rapid Response Team assisted them in the search.
“Together, the two teams worked throughout the week in hopes of finding the snake. Despite weeklong night searches and trapping activities, no snake has been captured at this time,” said Hawley, who is also supervisor of the CNMI’s Brown Tree Snake Program.
Marianne C. Teregeyo, spokeswoman of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources, said in a separate interview that a construction worker also saw a snake in Gualo Rai last May.
Teregeyo said the worker killed the snake and threw it back to the thick vegetation at the back of the company building where he works.
“He told his boss only about two weeks after he killed the snake. The boss then called DFW and we immediately sent K9 and (Brown Tree Snake Rapid Response) staff at the site. DFW also set snake traps. They didn’t find any,” said Teregeyo.
She said animals could have eaten the snake.
“He should have killed it and immediately called us, to make sure that it is really dead, and to make sure we have the proper data collection,” said Teregeyo.
Teregeyo and Hawley called on the public to immediately report any brown tree snake sighting to DFW at 664-6011 or 664-6045.
The brown tree snake is blamed for the extinction of certain bird species on Guam, and even for the power outages on the island.
In the CNMI, the brown tree snake is considered to be the number one threat to the native wildlife.
“DFW would like to remind everyone that the CNMI has no native snake species. The chance of finding a reported snake reduces exponentially with time. Therefore, it is extremely important to report all snake sightings to the division,” Hawley said.
There had been 49 brown tree snake sightings in the CNMI from 1982 to present. However, only 30 to 40 percent of the sightings were actual brown tree snakes.
Since 1991, about seven snakes have been found or captured.
