While huge sums of money are being pumped into global efforts to eradicate malaria and warnings issued to prevent mosquito bites, an animal-rights activist is urging people to allow themselves to be bitten by mosquitoes.
Aymeric Caron, who happens to also be a French TV presenter, said that mosquitoes do not bite humans just for the sake of loving it, but rather do so in order to obtain protein for their eggs, hence should not be killed while doing their natural work.
The activist is reported as saying that killing mosquitoes is “embarrassing for anti-specists” who see mosquito bites as “being attacked by a mother trying to nourish her children.”
“One can consider that a blood donation from time to time to an insect who is only trying to nourish her children is not a drama,” he said in a video
Anti-specists such as Caron are people who argue that all species should be treated equally.
He said he allows himself to be bitten by mosquitos, but will not dare do same in Africa because of the risk of contracting malaria.
But British animal protection workers have said his comments are “a step too far” and “an unhelpful distraction”.
Obviously, to guard against extinction of mosquitoes, Caron has suggested using natural mosquito repellents like citronella, lavender oil or garlic, to wash regularly instead of killing the ‘endangered species’ physically or by applying insecticides.