Invasive Species

The world has a lot of animals, but some don't belong in certain places. No, this paper is not about martians and aliens, it’s about introduced species—animals released into certain spots by mankind, hoping they fix a problem. For example, Cane Toads, or Rhinella Marina, were introduced in Queensland from Australia as a hope that the toads would eat a type of beetle that destroys sugar cane. Unfortunately, the toads themselves became the pest. Thankfully, the Cane Toads didn’t kill off any species, but they caused 33% of rainbow bee-eater bird nests to fail. But this essay is not about cane toads, it’s about other species as well, so it’s time to learn more.

The country with the most invasive species is the U.S, with 523 species total. It isn't something to be proud of, especially since 34 species have been wiped out due to invasive animals. If someone is looking for a good example of a state with invasive species, Florida is the one. Florida is the transferred home of the Burmese Python, a 200 lb (90 kilogram) snake that can even swallow alligators, the Tokay Gecko, a gecko that is infamous for making really loud noises at night, and the Red Imported Fire Ant, an ant whose stings can leave white-hot pustules on your skin. Invasive species can do some good, as they sometimes eat other pests living in the area and provide food for some native species.

How can an invasive species be introduced elsewhere? Well, some aquatic species such as the Zebra Mussel and the Chinese Mitten Crab can hitch a ride on cargo ships that are shipping items to a different spot. Other species like the Veiled Chameleon and the Red Lionfish can be imported to somewhere else through the pet trade. Some plants, like Leafy Spurge and Spotted Knapweed can be introduced when people are importing agricultural plant seeds and livestock. The main reason for how invasive species can be introduced elsewhere is when they have been directly introduced to another place to attempt to fix a problem, like the Rosy Wolf-Snail. This monstrous mollusk has been introduced to the Pacific islands as an attempt to eliminate other pest snails there, but the Rosy Wolf-Snails ended up killing off smaller snails.

Some stories of invasive animals are very sad. Red Eared Sliders, a type of turtle, are invasive here in California because people release them into ponds after they can’t take care of them anymore. Ever since then, the turtles have been dominating. But that’s not the sad part, the sad part is that people have been catching them at the ponds and they have to kill them. Now, the main reason why invasive species must be dealt with will be in the paragraph coming up soon.

So, the main reason why invasive species are a big nuisance? They are upsetting the ecosystem they’ve ended up in! Take the average house cat, for example. They kill about 2000 animals worldwide every year, and they also have contributed to driving a total of 33 species to extinction. So in conclusion, invasive species must be stopped, and you can help with dealing with them, most of them involving heavy machinery and toxic chemicals. So do yourself a favor, when leaving a destination for the airport, PLEASE make sure you don’t have any seeds or tiny animals stuck to your luggage or your clothes.

More Invasive Species

This is a list of invasive species and one fact about them, so enjoy!

• Africanized Honey Bee -This bad-tempered bee escaped from beekeepers in Brazil and has been spreading throughout the USA.

• Asian Carp - They get easily scared of motorboats and have been seen jumping out of the water.

• Asian Long-Horned Beetle - Due to their spotted elytra, they are nicknamed “Starry 

Skies.”

• Brown Anole - They can change their skin color from light to dark.

• Brown Tree Snake - Like many other snakes, they hold their body in a S-shape to strike at perfect accuracy.

• Common Ivy - Other names of this plant include European Ivy, Hedera Hex, or just Ivy.

• Common Starling - Also known as European Starlings, they are classified as some of the most common birds in North America.

• Common Water Hyacinth - They use a form of reproduction called fragmentation.

• Eastern Gray Squirrel - They have competed against two other species of squirrels for space.

• Emerald Ash Borer - They are responsible for millions of deaths of ash trees.

• Garlic Mustard - One plant can produce 6,000 seeds.

• Kudzu - This widespread plant is edible.

• Mosquitofish - Like mammals, they give live birth.

• Nile Perch - This big fish wiped out more than 200 fish species from Africa’s Lake Victoria.

• Northern Snakehead - Despite their name, they are a fish.

• Nutria - This rodent’s teeth are orange, like a beaver!

• Purple Loosestrife - Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois outlawed this plant.

• Red Lionfish -If there is barely any food, these fish will eat each other.

• Spotted Lanternfly - They are not flys!!! They are related to a group of insects called “Planthoppers.”

• Stoat - There is a famous picture of a weasel, the stoat’s cousin, riding on the back of a bird.

• Yellow Crazy Ant - So called because of their vibrant colors and frantic movements when disturbed.