Research note on eradication of tsetse flies using the sterile insect technique: The case of Zanzibar and Mafia Island Tanzania

Abstract

Efforts to control trypanosomiasis through tsetse control in Tanzania began more than 70 years ago. by the use of techniques such as bush clearing, extermination of wild animals as hosts, insecticide spraying on the fly habitat or host animals or screens and the use of traps. Although the technologies, reduced tsetse flies tremendously, the success remained short lived in most cases because tsetse population, in tsetse-suppressed areas frequently recovered. Recently an environmental friendly technology. Sterile insect Technique (SIT) in tsetse was introduced in Tanzania. The technology when integrated with other'environmental benign technology reslults into complete  eradication qf tsetse flies thus giving a long lasting solution. SIT was successfully used on Zanzibar Island where tsetse fly was eradicated in 1997. Folowing the Zanzibar success, a study was conducted on Mafia/Island to assess the potential of implementing SIT in order to eradicate tsetse flies on the island. A preliminary tsetse survey was conducted on Mafia Island using odour baited sticky panels, vavoua and biconical traps. Only Glossina brevipalpis was caught on biconical and vavoua traps. From the study it is concluded that Mafia like Zanzibar; presents a situation for successful SIT application because  it is isolated and has only one species of tsetse.

Keywords: tsetse eradication, sterile insect technique, Tanzania

Tanzania J. Agric. Sc. (2000) Vol.3 No 2, 173-180