31 October 2104 – This new video (below) shows the impact that an invasive, non-native plant, Acacia nilotica, is having on the Indonesian island of Java. The Acacia has taken over the landscape, devastating the savannah that the endangered banteng – a wild species of cattle – needs for survival, pushing the animal to the brink of extinction.
CABI is a partner on this international project called ‘Removing barriers to invasive species management in production and protection forest in south east Asia’. Financially supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and including CABI, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the government agencies of Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines, this project works to manage the danger of invasive species in the region.
CABI’s involvement includes looking at natural control methods, also called biocontrol. This is where natural enemies, such as insects, are used to control the spread of the alien invasive species. In the case of Acacia nilotica, this is a moth larvae that only eats the leaves of Acacia nilotica and cannot survive on other plants or crops.
Watch Gracia Paramitha, a Youth Ambassador for UNEP, discover more about this problem.
This video was produced with support from the Satogaeri Fund
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