RICHARD FREEMAN WRITES: Galápagos feels the bite

The famous Galápagos islands are under threat from a huge influx of mosquitos. The southern house mosquito is a carrier of diseases such as West Nile fever and avian malaria that could harm the endemic wildlife. Scientists from Leeds University and the Zoological Society of London found that the insects were coming in on planes with tourists. It is thought that they might interbreed with local mosquitos.

Another recent study by American scientists found that some Galápagos penguins were harbouring the Plasmodium parasite, which is carried by the southern house mosquito. In a similar case in the 19th century, mosquitos introduced to Hawaii caused the extinction of a number of unique bird species. The Ecuadorian government recently introduced a requirement for all aircraft flying to Galápagos to have insecticide treatment but it is not yet known how effective this is.