- Mauritania has seen an increase in the number of desert locusts as a result of the end of the rainy season in breeding areas, followed by several days of dry winds from the east.
The western region of Mauritania is the scene of a serious plague of desert locusts, according to a new alert issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
According to the UN agency, the increase in the number of desert locust is as a result of the end of the rainy season in breeding areas, followed by several days of dry winds from the east.
The combination of these two factors led to rapid drying of vegetation in central and southern regions of the country, forcing the insects to move into the eastern part of Mauritania.
FAO also reports that this move will continue for several days more.
The agency however notes that currently the plague does not threaten other countries in the region, with the exception of southern Morocco and the eastern Sahara.
A swarm of desert locusts can contain millions of insects and consume thousands of tons of vegetation in a single day.
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