insect. During subsequent years, a few more dead insects were discovered, but expeditions to find live specimens were unsuccessful.
In 2001, two Australian scientists (David Priddel and Nicholas Carlile) thought there might be enough vegetation on the islet to support a population of the insects, and with two assistants traveled to the island to investigate further. At first they only found crickets. However, they did find large insect droppings under a single Melaleuca shrub growing in a crevice approximately 330 feet (100 m) above the shoreline. They decided to return after dark, when the insects are active, to have the best chance of finding living specimens. Using a camera and flashlights, they discovered a small population of 24 insects living among a substantial buildup of plant debris beneath the Melaleuca shrub.
A research team from New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service returned to Ball’s Pyramid in 2003 and collected two breeding pairs. One pair was sent to a private breeder in Sydney, Australia. The other pair was sent to the Melbourne Zoo. The insects were successfully bred in captivity in Melbourne.
The goal of this project was to produce a large population for reintroduction to Lord Howe Island, after a plan to eradicate the invasive rats was successful. In 2006, the captive population of insects was about 50 individuals, with thousands of eggs waiting to hatch. By 2008, the population had grown to 11,376 eggs and 700 individuals, 20 of which were soon after returned to a special habitat on Lord Howe Island. As of April 2012, the Melbourne Zoo has reportedly bred over 9,000 of the insects, including 1,000 adult insects, plus 20,000 eggs.
By the beginning of 2016, Melbourne Zoo had hatched 13,000 eggs, and had sent eggs to the Bristol Zoo in Europe, the San Diego Zoo in the United States, and the Toronto Zoo in Canada to establish distinct insurance populations.
As always, thank you for taking the time to visit my blog!
A QUESTION FOR YOU:
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