New research from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, highlights the role of puff adders (Bitis arietans) in controlling rodent populations. These snakes are highly efficient at managing rodents that threaten agricultural production.
Puff adders can increase their food consumption by more than 12 times when rodent populations surge. This outperforms traditional mammalian predators. They offer a natural solution to rodent pest problems.
Professor Graham Alexander, who conducted the study, stated that puff adders are nature's perfect rodent control system. Their ability to increase consumption during rodent outbreaks makes them invaluable allies for farmers.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, shows individual adders can consume up to 10 rodents in a single feeding. They are ready to feed again just a week later. This provides continuous pest management at no cost to farmers.
Rodent outbreaks during high rainfall years cause millions in crop damage annually. Maintaining healthy puff adder populations could significantly reduce these losses. This can be achieved without costly chemical interventions.
The research identifies key advantages of puff adders as natural pest controllers. Their natural abundance in many African habitats is particularly valuable.
Alexander used a new measure called "factorial scope of ingestion". This measures how much a predator can increase its food intake above normal levels. This study challenges the view of snakes as pests and reframes them as beneficial partners.
These findings demonstrate that puff adder population management should be an essential component of pest management strategies. Protecting these natural controllers supports both ecosystem health and agricultural productivity across Africa.