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Brown treesnakes are voracious predators of native species in Guam where their introduction is associated with declines in native birds and small reptiles. Researchers and resource managers predict that brown treesnakes could similarly damage native ecosystems on neighboring islands in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands if a population were introduced and grew unimpeded. Understanding what causes rapid population growth of brown treesnakes on Guam can help invasive species managers reduce the potential for destructive invasions throughout other Pacific islands. 

In May, FORT researchers led a publication investigating the relationship between prey availability, snake removal, and population growth in brown treesnakes. Analyzing data from a long-term capture-mark-recapture study, they found that the brown treesnake population grew rapidly when prey was abundant. Removal of snakes resulted in short-term reductions in population growth, but the population growth rate rebounded within a year. They suggest multi-year removal efforts would likely be more effective at reducing population growth long-term, and that brown treesnake populations on new islands with abundant prey will likely grow rapidly if there is no intervention.