Banwa Private Island in North-eastern Palawan is on track to become the first mosquito-free island in the Philippines. To protect the island’s fragile biodiversity, the all luxury-villa holiday destination aims to eradicate mosquitoes without the use of harmful pesticides.
Banwa Private Island’s Peter Nilsson says: “Banwa Private Island is deeply committed to providing our guests with worry-free, luxurious holidays that are founded upon environmentally conscious and sustainable practices. The Zero Mosquito Project endeavours to achieve a mosquito-free island while keeping the beautiful ecosystem and thriving insect biodiversity in balance.”
Banwa Private Island’s Zero Mosquito project started in July 2022 in collaboration with Culex Maldives, a company at the forefront of successful, sustainable insecticide-free mosquito management in the Maldives since 2019. The method employs mosquito traps designed and developed by a German company, Biogents. Relatively simple, yet clever solutions of environmental ingenuity that work without pesticides. There are various trap types, depending on the habits and life cycles of the mosquitos. The ‘BG-MosquitaireCO2’ trap works by luring the mosquitos with smells irresistible to biting insects; the odour of human skin, breath and sweat. A single fan then sucks, even the more wary creatures, into the trap, there is then no escape.
Until now, the most common method of mosquito control used in the tropics has been frequent ‘fogging’ with insecticides. This kills mosquitos, but the unfortunate side effect is that the chemicals are unavoidably inhaled by the island’s human residents, and non-targeted insects and even fishes are negatively impacted.
Medical Entomologist Bart GJ Knols, PhD, MBA of Culex Maldives said: “We were delighted when Banwa Private Island contacted us. On two of the six islands in the Maldives where the traps are currently being used, we have eliminated the dangerous Asian Tiger Mosquito. We are passionate about moving away from pesticides and offering green and sustainable alternatives of benefit to both resorts and islands with local communities. This is a great opportunity. It is great to see Banwa Private Island spearheading non-toxic mosquito eradication in the Philippines.”
For more information and enquiries on Banwa Private Island, please contact the Reservations team through mobile/WhatsApp: +639178882864, send an email to reservations@banwaprivateisland.com or visit www.banwaprivateisland.com.For more information and enquiries regarding mosquito traps and mosquitos in island elimination programmes, send an email to bart@culexmaldives.com
