![]() ![]() The beetle, first documented as an invasive species in Guam in 2007, has been devastating. The money will go toward containment and eradication of the invasive species. Researchers have documented what biologists call a 'host shift' of the coconut rhinoceros beetle in Guam. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the University of Guam's Biosecurity Extension Program, the release states. The funding will be channeled through the U.S. "We've seen the damage that the (coconut rhinoceros beetle) and other invasive species have had on agriculture, flora, and fauna on neighbor islands, such as Guam," said Doug Domenech, assistant secretary for Insular Affairs. "Timing and rapid response is critical to protect the natural resources critical to these small island economies." Ralph Torres requested assistance from the Office of Insular Affairs, resulting in $181,048 in funding. Roland Quitugua, University of Guam extension and outreach agent, previously said approximately 20 adult beetles and 300 beetle larvae were removed from the site.ĬNMI experts determined - from the rotting on coconut trees and the size of the larvae - that it's likely the beetles were introduced on Rota sometime in the past five months, according to a news release from the Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs.ĬNMI Gov. The highly destructive species bores into the crowns of palm trees, killing 10 to 50. The beetle, responsible for the degradation of a significant portion of Guam's coconut tree population, was found in one of Rota's public beach parks in early October. Green waste management programs are set to get a boost from half of the 2 million allocated in the state budget to tackle the coconut rhinoceros beetle here. RT MBVD: Coconut rhinoceros beetles have been found on Kauai for the first time. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will have more funding to battle the coconut rhinoceros beetle after the invasive species recently was found in Rota, just north of Guam. The Pacific has been battling the spread of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles (CRB) for years and is now challenged by the invasion of a new CRB biotype, the CRB-Guam strain, that has spread to seven Pacific Island countries in just a decade leaving thousands of dead palms in its wake. Watch Video: Top invasive species of Guam
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