Operation Kadridri - surveillance for invasive ants

Invasive ant

Warea Orapa, Secretariat of the Pacific Community

By Megan Sarty, Biosecurity New Zealand

Over the last month, two teams from the Fiji Quarantine and Inspection Division (FQID) have conducted surveillance for suspected invasive ants in high-risk areas in north-western Viti Levu, under 'Operation Kadridri'. ('Kadridri' is the word for 'ants' in the local Yasawa dialect.)

The surveillance was the first awareness and data collection exercise to be carried out on invasive ants in Fiji, in particular the red imported fire ant or RIFA (Solenopsis invicta), and little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata).

RIFA, in particular, has the potential to cause serious negative socio-economic impacts. A RIFA incursion is under an eradication programme in Hawke's Bay (see Biosecurity 74:12) and major incursions in the Australian cities of Brisbane and Gladstone are also subject to eradication attempts. The ant is well established in the southern United States and China, and is spreading in Taiwan. So far, no colonies of RIFA have been reported or detected anywhere in the Pacific Islands.

Island ecosystems are generally very vulnerable to changes induced by introduced organisms. Invasive ants, some of which are referred to as 'tramp' ants, are those species that have proved to be successful invaders and colonisers of novel environments. Their ability to hitchhike on a wide range of international trade pathways is second to none. Given the increasing levels of international trade through the region, the invasiveness of RIFA and the Pacific Islands' cultural, climatic, environmental and biosecurity systems, it is inevitable that RIFA will eventually attempt to colonise the region.

Timely and ongoing surveillance of high-risk areas (such as ports and airports) is critical to closely monitor the presence of invasive ants. The current emergency ant surveillance in Fiji is in response to the interception of RIFA on a yacht in Auckland. Apparently the yacht had begun its voyage from the Caribbean, where RIFA is already a problem, and it sailed through several Pacific Islands including Fiji before arriving in Auckland late last year.

Staff trained throughout Pacific

The Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) helped equip and train two teams prior to their respective missions, using methodologies and training provided by Biosecurity New Zealand in the Pacific Invasive Ant Surveillance Programme (PIAS). PIAS, funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was initially conducted in early 2006. The programme provided training to over 70 staff throughout the Pacific, and surveyed 19 high-risk sites for the presence of invasive ants. A second round of training and surveillance is planned for late 2007 and will cover 32 high-risk sites in 13 Pacific Island countries.

Ant survey in high-risk area

Two quarantine teams visited the Yasawa and Mamanuca groups of islands and the greater Nadi area, including Denarau Mariner, Saweni Beach Resort and the Sheraton Beachfront. The geographical location of the initial surveillance is significant as it is highly popular with overseas tourists and thus a potentially high-risk area for hitch-hiking invasive ants to reach Fiji. The teams were given GPS units, small plastic bottles with bait to catch ants, and grid maps. FQID supplied raincoats, caps, safety shoes, gloves and torches. Ant samples collected from the surveys have been frozen and sent to New Zealand for identification.

More importantly, the teams were briefed by SPC staff on the significance of the ant surveillance and the need to work as a team. Apart from surveillance, the teams also investigated public awareness around the risks and dangers of RIFA among rural villagers and hotel workers and the need to look out for new insect pests, weeds and diseases. Pests pose a threat to Fiji's multi-million dollar agriculture export industry as well as to island biodiversity and livelihoods. Leaflets on invasive ants produced by SPC were distributed as public awareness materials.

Pacific Ant Prevention Programme

The Fiji ant surveillance is part of the regional programme, the Pacific Ant Prevention Programme (PAPP). PAPP is a regional multi-agency initiative endorsed by SPC member countries and territories. The main objectives of the PAPP are to:

  • increase awareness on the potential threats posed by invasive ants in Pacific islands
  • develop and put in place invasive ant emergency response systems and management methods
  • develop national capacities to deal with new incursions.

Papua New Guinea Quarantine Officers
Papua New Guinea Quarantine
Officers conducting port surveillance
as part of the Pacific invasive
ant surveillance programme.

To ensure the sustainability of activities on invasive ants, including surveillance and awareness, SPC has taken responsibility for managing of the PAPP. However, full implementation of PAPP is multi-sectoral, involving many partners including the Samoa-based Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, the Pacific Invasives Initiative based out of Auckland University, Biosecurity New Zealand and the US Department of Agriculture.

The involvement and contributions to this regional effort by biosecurity and conservation agencies, local communities, agricultural producers and exporters and the tourism and hospitality sectors would place the Pacific Community in a strategic position to restrict invasive species like RIFA from marching across the Pacific. Everyone in the Pacific region, from tourists and big exporting companies to subsistence farmers, will ultimately benefit from preventing the spread of high-impact invasive species such as the fire ants.

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Page last updated: 30 April 2008