Cited on HN 4 times, 2019–2023, never outright recommendedscore 0
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
It is posted as a punchline in threads about invasive species, pests and well-meant environmental fixes with side effects.
A short Simpsons clip in which Principal Skinner explains the cycle of introducing a new species to deal with a previous pest. It is a joke about ecological interventions that backfire.
The Bolivian tree lizard cleanup strategy: [this video] Skinner: Well, I was wrong; the lizards are a godsend. Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards? Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards. Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse? Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat. Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas! Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death. Ref: [link]
Reminds me of The Simpsons episode where they let Lizards get rid of the pigeons, then plan to have snakes kill the lizards, then have gorillas eat the snakes. Video: [this video]
Since Skinner recommended gorillas: [this video] ... I had to check [0]: at least mountain gorillas can survive temperatures below freezing. [0] [link]
Always a good time for[0]: Skinner: Well, I was wrong; the lizards are a godsend. Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards? Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards. Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse? Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat. Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas! Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death. [0] [this video]
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