Robotic fish can be a valuable tool in the fight against one of the world’s most problematic invasive species, the mosquitofish, researchers report
Invasive species control is notoriously challenging, especially in lakes and rivers where native fish and other wildlife have limited options for escape. Soaring mosquitofish populations in freshwater lakes and rivers worldwide have decimated native fish and amphibian populations, and attempts to control the species through toxicants or trapping often fail or cause harm to local wildlife. … “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using robots to evoke fear responses in this invasive species,” says Maurizio Porfiri, professor at the Tandon School of Engineering at New York University. “The results show that a robotic fish that closely replicates the swimming patterns and visual appearance of the largemouth bass has a powerful, lasting impact on mosquitofish in the lab setting.”
