Ireland's government has announced a new pilot project that may turn the tide against an invasive species.
The Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage intends to deploy trained volunteers in a select area to eradicate American minks over the next three-and-a-half years. A detection dog will be used to identify areas to trap, and volunteers will collect data on their progress.
Employing dogs to help sniff out invasive species isn't a new strategy. Some dogs have been used to find pepperweed, saltcedar, and mussels, for example.
American minks have been a growing threat to ground-nesting birds in Ireland, such as breeding waders, red grouse, grey partridges, and hen harriers. These minks have also been a problem in Scotland and England.
Invasive species are a massive problem worldwide. When a plant or animal is taken from its native habitat, it is no longer bound by the checks and balances it evolved with. In a new habitat, it has the opportunity to out-compete local species for vital resources, like space, food, and water. Over time, this can push out native species, cause a decline in biodiversity, and erode the quality of ecosystem services in the area.
All of this results in high costs for humanity. One estimate suggests that over the course of 50 years, invasive species incur costs of over $1 trillion.
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It's possible to fight back against invasives by joining volunteer groups such as this new program in Ireland. Irish officials were optimistic about the outcome of their mink eradication pilot.
"If we are to tackle the threat of invasive species then we must try new approaches," said Niall Ó Donnchú, director general of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. "International evidence shows that this approach has been effective in regions in England and Scotland and it is also extremely cost effective. NPWS is keen to test it in Ireland and learn more from this experience."
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