Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregulars)

The Brown tree snake (Bioga irregularis) is a species of snake that is native to the northern coast of Australia, Eastern Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, it is a tree-dwelling rear-fanged colubrid (Pianka, E. et al. 2004). Colubrids are a family of snakes that encompasses 2/3's of all current snake species. Colubrids are found on ever continent except Antarctica (Mehrtens. 1987). Most colubrids are non-venomous or relatively harmless to humans, the exception being the Boomslang, twig snake and Rhabdophis - they have all caused human fatalities (Bauer, et al. 1998).

The range of the Brown tree snakes across Asutralia and Papua New Guinea.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Boiga_irregularis_rangemap.jpg, accessed on the 20th of May 2014.

As an invasive species, the brown tree snake has had a devastating effect. Sometime before 1952, the brown tree snake was accidentally transported to Guam from somewhere in the South Pacific (NALUSDA, 2014). With a lack of predators and an abundance of food the brown tree snake quickly began to reproduce and grow. Soon large populations of the brown tree snake were inhabiting Guam with the snake growing up to a metre larger than normally seen in its natural habitats (Savidge, et al 2007). 

The introduction of the brown tree snake to Guam as seen thousands of power outages, wide spread loss of domestic animals, the loss of native fauna and the potential for envenomation of small children (the only humans that face potential harm from the snake) (Savidge, et al. 2007). Research undertaken to find a potential predator for the brown tree snake, showed that there is no 'good' fit with many of the suggested predators failing to meet guidelines for their potential introduction into Guam (Caudell & Conover. 2001). 

Instead the American government has come up with the idea to disperse dead mice that are laced with acetaminophen (the active ingredient in panadol). Because the brown tree snake is one of the few predators that will eat already deceased prey, combined with the fact that they cannot handle acetaminophen, they believe this will hopefully control snake population numbers (Savarie, P. & Shivik, J. 2001).

The video below outline the procedures in which the acetaminophen-leced mice will be released.

Air-dropping mice into Guam.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZfBqdaafjA, accessed on the 20th of May 2014.

References:

Bauer, A., Cogger, H. & Zweifel, R. (1998). Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. 188-195.

Caudell, J. & Conover, M. (2001). Predation of brown tree snakes in Australia. International Biodeterioration and biodegradation.

Invasive Species: Animals - Brown Tree Snake. National Agricultural Library, United States Department of Agriculture. Accessed on the 20th of May 2014.

Mehrtens, J. (1987). Living snakes of the world in colour. New York: Sterling ISBN 0-8069-6461-8.

Pianka, E., King, D. &  King, R. (2004). Varanoid Lizards of the world. Indiana University Press, 588.

Savidge, J., Qualls, F. & Rodda, G. (2007). Reproductive biology of the Brown Tree Snake, Bioga irregulars. During Colonization of Guam and Comparison with that in their Native Range. Pacific Science. 191-199.

Savaire, P. & Shivik, J. (2001). Use of Acetaminophen for large-scale control of the brown tree snake. Journal of Wildlife Management. 356-365.