Brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) researchers tour a Guam Power Authority power substation to see how energy infrastructure is vulnerable to outages due to snakes.
Melia Nafus, PhD
Melia Nafus is a Research Ecologist at the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center.
Melia leads the USGS Brown Treesnake Project based in the Marianas where her research is focused on improving detection and capture of cryptic reptiles at low densities, potential ecological effects of snake control, and development and implementation of control measures to enact population suppression on Guam and prevent their spread to other Pacific Islands. She also develops and collaborates on research designed to inform ecology and species recovery needs in the Pacific and elsewhere, as well as invasive reptile ecology. Broadly speaking, Melia is interested in factors that affect persistence of herpetofaunal populations including behavior, habitat selection, population dynamics, and spatial use.
Science and Products
Brown Treesnake Project
The brown treesnake is an invasive species that decimated many of Guam’s native vertebrate species. Under the leadership of the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center (Hawaii) and co-located with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Guam National Wildlife Refuge, the brown treesnake team works to prevent snakes spreading to other islands, develop and test tools for control efforts on Guam, and...
Brown Treesnake Rapid Response Team
The Brown Treesnake Rapid Response Team (RRT) evaluates snake sightings and quickly deploys when sightings are credible and match a brown treesnake. The RRT is an interagency partnership that cooperatively prevents the spread of brown treesnakes in the United States and territories.
Guam power lines and brown treesnakes are an electric mix
Of all the economic impacts to Guam due to the introduction of the brown treesnake ( Boiga irregularis), the effects on the power infrastructure are the easiest to understand.
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Pacific
Research on Guam has led to development and validation of numerous effective control tools, including the advancement of reptile control to support native species recovery.
Researchers at GPA substation on Guam
Brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) researchers tour a Guam Power Authority power substation to see how energy infrastructure is vulnerable to outages due to snakes.
Biologists measure a brown treesnake
Three biologists capture a brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) and record its measurements during field work on Guam. Bea Daria (center) trains Keisha Johnson (left) and Christiana Quinata (right) on the capture and processing of brown treesnakes.
Three biologists capture a brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) and record its measurements during field work on Guam. Bea Daria (center) trains Keisha Johnson (left) and Christiana Quinata (right) on the capture and processing of brown treesnakes.
Brown treesnake crossing wires
Example of a brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) wrapped around two wires. This image is an example of how adult brown treesnakes can bridge power lines and cause power outages. The brown treesnake is an arboreal invasive species on Guam where researchers have discovered electrocuted snakes on power lines and at substations.
Example of a brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) wrapped around two wires. This image is an example of how adult brown treesnakes can bridge power lines and cause power outages. The brown treesnake is an arboreal invasive species on Guam where researchers have discovered electrocuted snakes on power lines and at substations.
Science and Products
Brown Treesnake Project
The brown treesnake is an invasive species that decimated many of Guam’s native vertebrate species. Under the leadership of the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center (Hawaii) and co-located with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Guam National Wildlife Refuge, the brown treesnake team works to prevent snakes spreading to other islands, develop and test tools for control efforts on Guam, and...
Brown Treesnake Rapid Response Team
The Brown Treesnake Rapid Response Team (RRT) evaluates snake sightings and quickly deploys when sightings are credible and match a brown treesnake. The RRT is an interagency partnership that cooperatively prevents the spread of brown treesnakes in the United States and territories.
Guam power lines and brown treesnakes are an electric mix
Of all the economic impacts to Guam due to the introduction of the brown treesnake ( Boiga irregularis), the effects on the power infrastructure are the easiest to understand.
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Pacific
Research on Guam has led to development and validation of numerous effective control tools, including the advancement of reptile control to support native species recovery.
Researchers at GPA substation on Guam
Brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) researchers tour a Guam Power Authority power substation to see how energy infrastructure is vulnerable to outages due to snakes.
Brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) researchers tour a Guam Power Authority power substation to see how energy infrastructure is vulnerable to outages due to snakes.
Biologists measure a brown treesnake
Three biologists capture a brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) and record its measurements during field work on Guam. Bea Daria (center) trains Keisha Johnson (left) and Christiana Quinata (right) on the capture and processing of brown treesnakes.
Three biologists capture a brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) and record its measurements during field work on Guam. Bea Daria (center) trains Keisha Johnson (left) and Christiana Quinata (right) on the capture and processing of brown treesnakes.
Brown treesnake crossing wires
Example of a brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) wrapped around two wires. This image is an example of how adult brown treesnakes can bridge power lines and cause power outages. The brown treesnake is an arboreal invasive species on Guam where researchers have discovered electrocuted snakes on power lines and at substations.
Example of a brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) wrapped around two wires. This image is an example of how adult brown treesnakes can bridge power lines and cause power outages. The brown treesnake is an arboreal invasive species on Guam where researchers have discovered electrocuted snakes on power lines and at substations.