Invasive Species

By Sara Ferguson | January 30, 2010

Invasive species can be defined as any species of plant or animal that inhabits an area in which it is non-native. An invasive species usually is considered to be one that adversely affects the habitat they invade on many levels.

One of the currently alarming examples of invasive species is in the Florida everglades region of the United States. Over the last several years pet pythons and boas which were once pets have been released into the everglades after the snakes get too big for their owners to take care of, or when their owner gets tired of them. This has lead to large non-native snakes roaming the everglades with a healthy food source and few predators. This has allowed the released snakes to grow at a rapid rate and now is becoming a problem for communities which reside in the area.

The snake problem in the everglades has grown to a point now that Florida communities have formed special units in their animal control divisions in which to handle the high number of snake related calls they receive yearly. Pythons and boas ranging for a few feet to fifteen feet are now encountered on a regular basis in Florida. As time goes by, these snakes will only get larger and ones reaching their full size will be common in the future.

While the invasive snake species has resulted from the pet industry in the USA, other invasive species have come from different industries. The current Snakehead problem in America water is another alarming issue which has caused entire lakes to be poisoned, killing off all wildlife in the lake just to try and curb the problem.

Known as Channidae, they are a freshwater fish from Africa and Asia. The Giant Snakehead can reach more than 1 meter in length. Imported to the USA and sold live as a food source or for aquariums, snakeheads are well known to break out of any enclosed space. Since they have the ability to breathe air and cross short stretches on land, they have become a serious problem in the USA. Currently, Snakeheads are illegal in the USA.

These are just two examples of invasive species. Invasive species is a broad term and does not solely encompass animals, plants as well can be an invasive species and several examples do exist. Regardless, most invasive species resulted from man. The pet industry creates a lot of this problem by importing species around the globe for pet owners, which often as a result of unable or unwilling to continue the care for these animals release them in the local area. The food industry is also to blame, in some cases such as the snakehead importing them live for food, but in many cases stowaways find their way in shipments of other products.

While many other species have invaded new territory, the one species which is certainly the most dangerous is Homo sapiens. Invading every part of the explored planet, Homo sapiens have destroyed more native animals, habitat, and caused more animals to become endangered or extinct than any other animal on this planet.

Homo sapiens still continue to destroy the planet at an alarming rate, while other animals are defend less against them. While Homo sapiens have a high intelligence for technology, they serious lack understanding of the planet they share with all of animals. This lack of knowledge and awareness has led to vast parts of the planet destroyed and poisoned.

Sara is the editor of World Zoo Today.

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