In early 2020, a locust swarm of biblical proportions swept across parts of Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, damaging hundreds of thousands of hectares of cropland.
The swarm was triggered by a series of cyclones that brought heavy rains to the arid regions of the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, creating ideal conditions for the breeding and multiplication of desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria), one of the most destructive migratory pests in the world.
The swarm grew rapidly, reaching unprecedented sizes and numbers.
At its peak, it covered an area of about 240,000 square kilometers (93,000 square miles), equivalent to the size of the United Kingdom.
It contained an estimated 200 billion locusts, each capable of eating its own weight in vegetation every day.
The swarm consumed about 1.8 million tonnes of crops per day, which was enough to feed 80 million people.
The swarm posed a serious threat to food security and livelihoods in the affected countries, many of which were already facing poverty, conflict, and climate change.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) declared a state of emergency and launched a massive campaign to control the outbreak, using aerial and ground spraying of pesticides, biopesticides, and natural enemies.
The shocking footage of the locust swarm
YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images
Now, mind-blowing footage of the locust surge will be shared for the first time in an upcoming docuseries on Netflix.
The footage was captured by a team of filmmakers from Our Planet II, a nature documentary series narrated by David Attenborough that explores the movements and migrations of animals across the globe.
"The sound is just incredible," Toby Nowlan, producer of Our Planet II, told Newsweek.
When the swarm passes over you, it's as if there's a raging river above your head.
The team had planned to film the swarms in early 2020, but their plans were abruptly halted as the world was plunged into pandemic lockdown.
The team members, however, were undeterred and were able to remotely direct and capture drone footage of the powerful superswarms with the help of camera crews in Kenya.
They're really explosive seasonal migrants, and their survival is dependent on moving with food availability, according to Nowlan.
Nowlan and his team flew to Ethiopia to track the swarms after travel restrictions were lifted.
Nowlan described it as "utterly spectacular and horrific for anyone standing in their way."
The team worked in close collaboration with the FAO, running just ahead of the insecticides that were being sprayed to control the infestation.
The impact and implications of the locust swarm
The locust swarm had a devastating impact on the crops and livelihoods of millions of people in the affected countries.
According to the FAO, more than 35 million people faced acute food insecurity due to the locust invasion in 2020.
The economic losses caused by crop damage and control operations were estimated at $8.5 billion.
The locust swarm also had environmental consequences, such as pesticide pollution, biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions.
The locusts consumed large amounts of vegetation that would otherwise sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
They also emitted methane gas through their digestion and excretion processes.
The FAO estimated that the locust swarm emitted about 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per day in 2020.
The locust swarm was a wake-up call for the world to address the root causes and drivers of such outbreaks, such as climate change, land degradation, and conflict.
It also highlighted the need for more investment in early warning systems, prevention measures, and sustainable management practices.
The locust swarm was a natural disaster that challenged the resilience and adaptation of humans and nature. It was also a spectacular phenomenon that showcased the power and beauty of life on Earth.
