Gambusia affinis

As you all know, not to long ago Haiti suffered quite a horrible shock, an earthquake ripped through the country, killing more than 230,000 human beings. Million of people donated money, time, food, water and supplies to those devastated by the tragedy..

However, one group of well wishers and supporters sent something new and interesting.. They sent fish.

Somewhere in the neighborhoos of 2,000 tiny fish have been sent over from Mississippi to try and help control the spread of diseases such as the West Nile virus and Malaria. The fish are known as the mosquito fish, a more proper name is Gambusia.

Just one of these amazing fish can eat several hundred of the mosquitoes and their babies each day. It isn’t the first time fish have been used in such a manner. Back after Karina these Gambusia were called in and helped to kill of mosquitoes and their babies there as well.

The group behind sending in the fish is a humanitarian group known as Operation Blessin International. Once they had their volunteers set foot on the ground they immediately knew it was time to call in the fish.

“I came to Haiti in May of 2009 and right away I noticed a lot of mosquitoes here,” Horan, one of the leaders of the group commented. “And they have malaria. I thought, wouldn’t it be great to bring mosquito fish to Haiti.”