Extinct mosquitoes could significantly reduce the populations of various animal species such as birds, insects, and fish that rely on mosquitoes or their larvae for food.
Throughout human history, wars and conflicts have claimed an estimated 1 billion lives, but this figure pales in comparison to the number of people killed by mosquitoes. According to the journal Nature, over the past 50,000 years, mosquitoes have been the deadliest animal to humans. In modern times, hundreds of thousands die each year from mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria.
A study published in 2020 revealed that mosquitoes are intermediaries for major viruses such as malaria, Zika, West Nile virus, and dengue fever. The Anopheles gambiae mosquito is often regarded as the “most dangerous species on Earth.” Given the level of danger mosquitoes pose to humans, should we eliminate them completely? If we were to take such extreme measures, what would the consequences be?
If mosquitoes were to become extinct, the 3,500 mosquito species currently on Earth would disappear. Among these, about 200 species are capable of biting humans, with three genera—Anopheles, Culex, Aedes—transmitting dangerous diseases like malaria and yellow fever, according to How Stuff Works.
Mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting many dangerous diseases to humans. (Photo: BBC).
Mosquitoes have existed on Earth for over 100 million years and have become an important part of the food chain. For example, in the Arctic tundra, many species of mosquitoes serve as food for migratory birds. If mosquitoes were to disappear, the bird population in the area could drop by more than half. Scientists predict a similar fate for many fish species worldwide that feed on mosquito larvae.
Furthermore, some mosquito species primarily feed on nectar, making them key pollinators for various plants, including orchids. Mosquitoes enable these plants to spread and thrive in diverse locations. While they may not be as effective as bees, they are certainly important for certain plant species.
Thus, the extinction of mosquitoes would create a ripple effect that would reduce the populations of many insect, fish, and bird species higher up in the food chain. However, the extinction of mosquitoes would bring certain benefits. The dangerous diseases transmitted through mosquito bites would no longer occur. For instance, malaria kills about 1 million people and infects 246 million people each year.
Many scientists predict that while some mosquito-eating animals may starve, others will seek alternative prey to survive. They will adapt to their new circumstances and will not go extinct along with mosquitoes.
Researchers have explored various methods to eliminate mosquitoes, including genetic techniques that produce more male mosquitoes. In 2014, a research team at Imperial College London created genetically modified mosquitoes using enzymes to affect the X chromosome during sperm production, resulting in the majority of mosquitoes being male. With the next generation consisting mainly of male mosquitoes, the population would not be able to thrive.
If we choose the “mass extermination strategy,” is it feasible to eliminate all mosquito species? What would the consequences be? The answer is simple: we are not sure what will happen.
In fact, as of now, we still do not know how the removal of all mosquitoes would impact the ecosystem. Given that mosquitoes are a primary food source for many animals, including bats, birds, frogs, and dragonflies, their complete removal could lead to several ecological impacts, at least in the short term. For example, a dragonfly can consume 100 mosquitoes a day, and if mosquitoes were to vanish, they might need to change their feeding habits, just like many other species.
Although there is currently no definitive research, if it were possible to eradicate all mosquito species capable of transmitting malaria and other diseases—even if this action meant eliminating all mosquito species harmless to humans—it would prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths each year and might completely eradicate malaria.
Not all mosquito species transmit infectious diseases.
However, currently, except for Antarctica and Iceland, almost all areas on Earth are suitable for mosquito habitation and reproduction. If they were to disappear, it could lead to ecological imbalance. Moreover, mosquitoes are incredibly resilient, making it very challenging to eliminate them completely.
Many mosquito species are a vital part of the ecological food web and pose no threat to humans. Mosquitoes are a successful biological population on Earth. If humanity is determined to live in a mosquito-free world, the best option might be to relocate to Iceland. However, there could be other dangerous creatures waiting for us there, such as polar bears.
Humanity may not necessarily need to exterminate mosquitoes to reverse the spread of disease. In recent years, researchers have made promising breakthroughs to prevent infection by sterilizing mosquitoes with radiation or editing their genomes using CRISPR technology.
For instance, in 2016, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) planned to use gamma-ray technology similar to a radiation projector to control mosquitoes in Brazil. Specifically, the agency aimed to breed about 12 million male mosquitoes in a week, then sterilize them using cobalt-60 radiation. These sterile male mosquitoes would be released into designated areas to mate with female mosquitoes, which would then lay eggs without viable offspring.
