Operation Cat Drop: Borneo's Unintended Ecological Lesson

Operation Cat Drop was a remarkable ecological intervention in 1950s North Borneo following unintended consequences of a WHO malaria eradication program. After spraying DDT to kill mosquitoes, a devastating chain reaction occurred: the pesticide killed wasps and predatory insects, leading to caterpillar infestations that damaged thatched roofs. The DDT bioaccumulated in lizards, which were then consumed by cats, causing widespread feline deaths. Without cats, the rat population exploded, bringing threats of typhus and plague. In a uniquely creative solution, the Royal Air Force airdropped approximately 14,000 cats via parachute into remote villages in 1960. This operation successfully restored ecological balance and became a pivotal case study in environmental science, demonstrating how human interventions can trigger unpredictable trophic cascades and highlighting the importance of ecological rather than purely technological solutions to environmental problems.

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