Biologist crew prepare for a visual survey of Brown Treesnakes

The USGS biologist crew prepares for a visual survey for Brown Treesnakes (BTS) within the Habitat Management Unit (HMU) on Guam. The HMU is a 55-hectare fenced area designated for conservation of native species, and resource-management agencies share the goal of suppressing or eradicating BTS within the HMU. The HMU has received multiple applications of an aerially distributed snake toxicant to assess the feasibility of snake control in forests at a large scale. Searchers using visual surveys detect snakes of all sizes making surveys a valuable tool to monitor the effects of snake control.