Scientists Florida will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes the wild. The aim is to reduce the number existing mosquitoes that have diseases like Zika virus, yellow fever and dengue fever. The plan is to release the mosquitoes next year the Florida Keys. This is a long chain tropical islands stretching 170km south the southern tip of Florida. The modified mosquitoes are all male. They carry a protein that will kill any female offspring before they reach biting age. It is only female mosquitoes that feed blood and bite humans. Males only feed on nectar flowers. Over time, scientists hope the disease-carrying population mosquitoes in the area will fall.
Environmental groups are not happy the plan to release the genetically modified mosquitoes. One group called it a "Jurassic Park experiment". It said Florida was "a testing ground mutant bugs". Many environmentalists warn that the project could cause damage to local ecosystems that could never be reversed. They say the experiment could even create a new super-species mosquito that is resistant to insecticides. The environmental group Friends the Earth said: "The release genetically engineered mosquitoes will needlessly put Floridians, the environment and endangered species risk in the midst a pandemic." The company releasing the mosquitoes said there was no risk.
