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Australia running out of time to stop spread of lethal invasive species: report

Xinhua, December 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

Time is running out to stop the spread of an insect that could be the most damaging invasive species to ever enter Australia, a report has found.

An independent review of Australia's National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program found that there was "only a small window of opportunity left" to stop the spread of the deadly red fire ant that is already plaguing parts of the country.

The report, published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Thursday, recommended that the Federal government commit 285 million U.S. dollars to eradicating the species in the next decade.

The fire ant originated in South America and has been responsible for 85 deaths in the United States from people who have had an allergic reaction to a bite from the ant.

The report warned that unless managed the species would be responsible for up to 3,000 anaphylactic reactions each year.

Agriculture ministers from around Australia are expected to meet early in 2017 to decide whether to ramp up efforts to eradicate the ant or to manage the insects' presence.

Andrew Cox, the chief executive of the Invasive Species Council, said that unless more money was allocated to combatting the ants' spread, authorities would lose the fight in Australia.

"The area's slowly expanding and we think it's because they haven't got enough money to do the job," Cox told the ABC.

"The impacts of red fire ants if allowed to spread will exceed the combined impacts of all of our current feral animals. The cane toads, the feral cats, the wild dogs, the camels -- so the impacts are enormous."

Barnaby Joyce, Australia's minister for Agriculture and deputy prime minister (PM), said in a statement that eradication remains technically feasible and in the national interest.

"(Federal and State Governments) are considering a future eradication program, which will be on the agenda for the first agricultural ministers meeting in 2017 currently scheduled to take place in May," the statement said. Endit