Frogs will save India

The authorities of the Indian capital are preparing to begin the massive purchase of frogs from surrounding peasants. These amphibians are called upon to save Delhi from annoying mosquitoes, reports a correspondent for the British The Times. Otherwise, it will not be possible to protect a city of millions from epidemics.

The city administration is particularly concerned about dengue fever, which is carried by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Over the past year, two outbreaks of this dangerous disease have already been recorded in the capital, and last year more than 60 people died from dengue. In addition, various types of mosquitoes can infect people with other equally dangerous infections, for example, malaria (and India is already among the world leaders in the number of malaria patients).

The authorities are unable to control the number of bloodsuckers using toxic chemicals. We have to hope that the insects will be tormented by their natural enemies - frogs, spiders, fish, birds, which feed either on the mosquitoes themselves or on their larvae living in various bodies of water. But in recent years, rivers and ponds in the metropolis have turned into sewers. Mosquitoes still seem to survive there, but the number of frogs has dropped sharply. In the absence of predators, Aedes aegypti and other bloodsuckers began to actively colonize Delhi. India's National Malaria Research Institute said the mosquito population in the capital has increased by 45% in the past year.

International experience in combating these insects is of little help. Typically, annoying insects are eliminated by treating water bodies with chemicals and draining swamps. But it doesn’t work here: as The Times writes, the authorities have tried to reduce the number of bodies of standing water by issuing circulars, but with no noticeable results. Then, apparently, they decided to return the predators to the capital. For example, aquarium fish - guppies and gambusias, which feed on mosquito larvae - were released into the river flowing next to the residence of the Prime Minister of India. Now it comes to frogs.

But environmentalists believe that there will be no benefit from importing amphibians, since the rivers in Delhi remain as dirty as before. After all, the previous generation of frogs left the city precisely because of the disgusting state of the reservoirs. And there is no certainty that village amphibians will survive their almost extinct urban relatives.

Mikhail MANSKOY