Dear Sir,
Wetlands such as we see off the malecon at San Antonio Tlayacapan and other areas surrounding Lake Chapala provide a well established habitat for fish, birds, frogs, dragonflies and other wildlife.
Fish eat mosquito larva while the birds, dragonflies and frogs eat mosquitoes. If you eradicate these wetlands you eradicate the predators of mosquitoes and create a dangerous environment where the mosquito carrying the dengue and zika virus have no natural predators. We do not wish to spread dengue and other diseases.
It is important to examine our methodology in the way we fight this mosquito carrying virus. I believe the destruction of wetland plants that are the home of animals and fish is the wrong approach.
I have examined various articles that substantiate my claim.
“Predators such as fish and other aquatic organisms will control mosquito populations if the area supports a well-balanced ecosystem.” (Brent Ladd; Jane Frankenberger: Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Purdue University.) This is a quote from just one of the many articles I found.
These green areas in our lake are not the plague that creates mosquito populations. We need to enhance the population of mosquito predators by maintaining the ecosystem of these wetland areas. Please speak out to protect our wetland environments at Lake Chapala.
Xill Fessenden