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Fighting invasive ants on Santa Cruz Island
Head to Santa Cruz Island and get on a kayak to explore nature and the region's history.
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Megan Larson
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LAist
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Topline:
Invasive Argentine ants have plagued Santa Cruz Island for more than six decades displacing native species there. The Nature Conservancy – which manages a sizable chunk of the island – is slated to receive nearly $815,000 from the federal government to help eradicate the ants.
Why now: The allocation is just a small piece of a nearly $3 million dollar federal investment in programs focused on combating invasive species. It was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The backstory: Using a mixture of sugar and insecticide, Argentine ant populations have been reduced from more than 1,000 acres to fewer than 100 in less than a decade, according to Nick Holmes with The Nature Conservancy.
What's next: They'll continue to kill off the remaining ants and monitor the island to ensure they're not reestablishing themselves. Once given the space, native ant populations should reestablish.
More good news: The Santa Cruz Island fox has been making a steady comeback from the brink of extinction.
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