G3CC catches snakes and new skills at invasive species training

The Guam Green Growth Conservation Crops (G3CC) went scouting for snakes with the National Park Service and community group, Friends of Islan Dåno, learning how to track, capture and dispose of invasive brown tree snakes that have slithered throughout Guam.

Also known as Boiga irregularis, the brown tree snake continues to have adverse effects on Guam’s ecosystems, specifically ravaging Guam’s native bird population to near extinction.

With National Park Service taking the lead at Asan Beach Park on one night, and Friends of Islan Dåno leading the training in the village of Malesso’ on another, the G3CC received comprehensive training imperative to the removal of this sly snake species.

The team learned to properly bait and set snake traps, helping to lay around 64 at Asan Beach Park; how to track the presence of brown tree snakes by assessing availability of its food sources in a given area (e.g. cane toads, mourning geckos, and bird species), common areas and conditions brown tree snakes inhabit, and extermination.

Although mitigation of invasive species like the brown tree snake has been a challenge for Guam, learning fundamental skills on how to track and remove them is key to protecting the future of the island’s native beauty.

Armed with the knowledge shared by sustainability partners like National Park Service and Friends of Islan Dåno, the G3CC is now in a better position to meet this challenge, protecting our native species today so the people of Guam can continue to enjoy them in a distant tomorrow.