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The
outbreak of locusts, an insect that mainly lives in Africa and Asia, is the
worst experienced by Kenya in 70 years. The crowds are some three times the
size of New York City, eating their way through thousands of acres of crops and
animal grassland and destroying livelihoods in the process.
"These
hungry things are alarming," says Keith Cressman, the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization's senior locust forecasting officer. "A crowd the
size of Manhattan can, in a single day, eat the same amount of food as everyone
in New York and California combined."
Desert
locusts are infamous for their ability to breed(繁育)rapidly
in large numbers every three months. And with some help from the wind, they can
travel as much as 80 miles a day. Most years, the insects stay in African
deserts. However, under the right environmental conditions, they can multiply
quickly, spread as much as 400 times every six months and cause extensive
destruction if left unchecked.
"The
insect has the ability to take advantage of good conditions." Cressman
says.
The
"good conditions" the scientist is referring to began in mid-2018
when a rainstorm from the Indian Ocean struck a remote area of the Arabian
Peninsula known as the "Empty Quarter". Normally, it would dry out
within a short period, killing most of the locust population, which depends on
green plants for food. However, in late 2018, a second rainstorm struck the
same region. The huge sandy area got wet, which is exactly what desert locusts
need to lay their eggs and breed. The extra food supply caused the population
to explode for the second time in six months.
Luckily,
the locusts, experts say, are easy to control with chemicals. Kenya badly needs
equipment and a steady supply of chemicals to effectively wipe out the massive
insects. Hopefully, leaders worldwide will recognize the tough situation and
contribute generously to control the locust outbreak.