The Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources is continuing to trap myna birds on a village by village basis.
In the past, DMWR distributed traps throughout the island, but this time it is trapping the troublesome birds on a village by village basis.
The bird is considered a pest because it feeds on native plants, trees and fruits and has also been known to attack people.
Avele Lalogafuafua of the Wildlife Division of DMWR, who is in charge of the myna bird control program, says Fagasa was chosen as the first village to set the myna traps because of its size and it’s easy to monitor.
A total of 85 traps were placed in Fagasa for the past two months and DMWR has the help of 8 young men hired under the Governor’s Special Programs.
Lalogafuafua says whereas families monitored the traps in the past, their staff are now handling record keeping for the number of birds trapped and resetting traps.
He estimates about 300 myna birds have met their fate since trapping began in Fagasa.
Lalogafuafua, who worked with myna bird specialist Susan Saveedra several years ago, said sometimes interference from people and animals like dogs, cats and chicken near the traps cause the myna to stay away and not go into the traps.
