Invasive Species

[Samuel Toothgold]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-industry.html

...“Eight months ago it was spread across just 20,000 acres, which gives you an idea of how fast it travels,” Rolando Manfredini, an expert with Italian farmers’ lobby group Coldiretti told the Telegraph.
“The trees just dry out and die, looking like they have been burned,”...

Image and German-language article source:

https://www.google.nl/search?q=badis...l%3B1024%3B623

[Alex Linder]

8-foot-long carnivorous cat-eating lizards are invading Florida
Business Insider
By Kevin Loria April 10, 2015 2:07 PM


Nile Monitor lizard Florida

A Florida resident spotted one of the creatures sunning itself in his backyard.The exotic pet trade has a way of introducing destructive and potentially dangerous creatures to places in which they don't belong, and Florida's sunny, warm climate makes for a perfect home for many of these invasive species.

People buy a small snake, lizard, or colorful fish, and when it gets too big to handle, they dump it in an area in which they figure it will fit in. But if these unleashed creatures fit in too well, they not only thrive in their new homes — but without natural predators they can wreak havoc on the surrounding ecosystem, unbalancing it and potentially wiping out the native animals.

Lately we've heard a lot about the Burmese pythons and the more aggressive African rock pythons that wildlife officials fear will wipe out the foxes, rabbits, deer, raccoons, opossums, and bobcats of the Everglades.

But another creature that Florida wildlife officers are trying to get a handle on is the Nile monitor lizard, a cousin of the most famous monitor lizard, the Komodo dragon, which has been spreading through the state since at least 1990.

Thousands are thought to be loose in parts of the state, but they have recently begun to appear in Palm Beach County, and officials are hoping they can eliminate the lizards in the area before they establish a firm toehold.

Wildlife officials armed with shotguns will be increasing patrols of Palm Beach County canals from once a month to four to six times a month to try to hunt the reptiles down, according to the Sun Sentinel. The plan is to catch or shoot the lizards on sight — they've got 20 in Palm Beach since July.

A Nile monitor in South Africa.The lizards are native to almost all of Sub-Saharan Africa and grow up to 5 feet long on average, with large specimens reaching 7 or 8 feet. They typically have yellow markings on their back and can range in color from yellow to olive green or dark brown.

And while they don't usually menace humans unless provoked (though one pet-education website says they "can inflict serious wounds to an inexperienced handler"), they are most definitely threats to local burrowing owls, tortoises, and other creatures. They have "even been known to eat cats," according to the Sun Sentinel.

Monitors have spread far enough that they are a serious problem, according to David A. Steen, a conservation biologist who included them on a list of the "worst invasive reptiles" he chronicled for Slate. He describes the Nile monitor as a "hulking beast" that's "a voracious predator of any creature smaller than itself."

In addition to these massive lizards and the seemingly unstoppable pythons, poisonous lionfish are taking over Florida reefs.

Let's not set loose any more wild creatures that don't belong in Florida, OK?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/8-foo...180700956.html

[Samuel Toothgold]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25175409

...The fungus was brought to Munich by the index patients from a family vacation in Africa and then spread to fellow children in kindergarten and subsequently to their families. All patients were treated successfully and the epidemic was declared ceased after 40 weeks but causing considerable financial damage. Due to travelling and migration, M. audouinii infections will rise in Germany and Europe...

[Jae Manzel]

Coyotes have migrated from the West into suburbs and cities from New York to Atlanta. Is that worrisome? Here's everything you need to know:

Where are coyotes found?

Today, almost everywhere. Once mostly limited to the Western plains, coyotes have moved steadily eastward and established new habitats in and around populous cities. Small packs roam city parks in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, and Atlanta, and they are becoming a particular nuisance in suburbs in the Northeast. "Ten years ago, it was rare to see coyotes, but they have really exploded on the scene here," said Stamford, Connecticut, police Capt. Richard Conklin. Every Eastern state is now home to tens of thousands of coyotes — in 2005, hunters and trappers killed 20,000 of them in Pennsylvania alone. And these are not your great-grandfather's coyotes. Western coyotes are still the smallish predators and scavengers they always were, averaging about 30 pounds. The ones that have come east in the last 50 years, though, are big.

Why are they bigger?

The Northeastern coyote is actually a wolf-coyote hybrid. Scientists believe the crossbreeding happened when the wolf population around the Great Lakes was on the verge of extinction and lonely wolves found mates wherever they could. Hybrid coyotes began filling the void wolves left, migrating east and then south. There's not a lot of wolf DNA in the Eastern coyote — less than 10 percent — but that's enough to give the animal a more menacing aspect and enough heft to bring down an adult deer. Weighing up to 65 pounds, the Eastern coyote has a larger skull and is even smarter and more adaptable than its Western cousin. "People look at our coyotes and think that they're wolves," says Marion E. Larson of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. "They're about the size of a German shepherd, maybe bigger."

Why are they in cities?

That's where the food is. Coyotes can eat just about anything, from animals as big as deer to insects and even fruit and grass. Cities and suburbs teeming with squirrels, rats, and pets — not to mention restaurant scraps — are a cornucopia for them. And because they are extraordinarily adept at eluding detection, they have managed to move in without being noticed until the past few years, when their numbers have increased so fast that sightings have become common. "They can adapt to any urban landscape," says Smithsonian Institution geneticist Christine Bozarth. "They'll raise their pups in drainage ditches and old pipes."

Are they dangerous?

Not usually. There's been only one confirmed killing of a human in the past decade (see below), and just isolated reports of children being bitten. Coyotes do, however, like to eat pet cats, and sometimes attack smaller dogs that are trapped in yards by chains or electric fences. In a 2009 study in Tucson, cats were found to be urban coyotes' favorite meal, making up 42 percent of their diet. "A coyote can jump a six-foot fence and take a small dog or cat and be back in a flash," said Tucson biologist Lisa Harris. In some scary cases, coyotes have attacked dogs while the owners were walking them. Experts also warn that rabies can make coyotes more aggressive. Still, the danger from the coyote "has been blown out of proportion," said former wildlife officer Nicky Patronio. "It's a wild animal, but it's not a vicious killing machine."

Can they be culled?

Coyotes are so resilient that killing them, even in great numbers, just doesn't have much effect. Decades ago, several Western states tried to reduce coyote numbers through poisoning, trapping, and bounty hunting. But wildlife officials found that 70 percent of the entire population had to be killed every year to make a dent in the numbers — an impossible target. Coyotes also have a biological mechanism that triggers larger litters whenever their numbers drop.

Do they provide any benefits?

Yes. Coyotes keep down both the rat population and the Canada goose population. Coyotes raid goose nests, eating some of the eggs and burying the rest to be eaten later. In Chicago, nuisance Canada geese were increasing by nearly 20 percent a year; now, thanks to the coyotes, the population is almost steady. And while coyotes don't kill enough deer up north to make much of a dent in the exploding deer population, they do keep numbers in check in the southern U.S., where the deer are smaller. In fact, by eating deer and mice, they may be helping to control Lyme disease, which is spread by deer ticks.

What should people do?

To protect your pet, do not leave it unsupervised or chained up in the yard. Don't leave pet food or scraps outdoors, and seal garbage lids tightly. If you do see a coyote, do not run away, which can trigger the animal's predatory instincts. Instead, yell and flap your arms to try to appear large and aggressive. "The reality is, coyotes are incredibly adaptable, intelligent, resilient animals, and they have learned how to coexist with us," said Camilla Fox of California's Project Coyote. "But we're still trying to figure out how to coexist with them."

Rare human attacks

Coyotes instinctively fear humans, and usually run away when they see one. But there have been some rare exceptions. In 2009, Toronto folksinger Taylor Mitchell, 19, was killed by coyotes while hiking alone in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia. Four other hikers found her, bleeding profusely from bite wounds all over, a coyote standing over her. She died of blood loss that night. Animal control officers killed four coyotes found in the area over the next few weeks, and three of them were found to have traces of Mitchell's blood on them — suggesting that she was attacked by a group. The only other known fatality from a coyote attack came in Glendale, California, in 1981, when a coyote dragged Kelly Keen, 3, from her driveway. She later died of a broken neck. Because they are small, children are more likely to be attacked by coyotes, and there have been dozens of recorded nonfatal attacks on kids.

http://theweek.com/articles/565499/m...mericas-cities

[Samuel Toothgold]

https://www.google.nl/search?q=badis...Wetw9ucPM5M%3A

http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative...s-2621328.html

...The snails are considered one of the world’s most invasive and destructive species, attacking more than 500 species of plants. Giant African Land Snails also threaten humans as they carry a parasite called rat lungworm, a potentially deadly form of meningitis. No captured snails have been found with the parasite and no human cases have been reported...

[Pamela Ross]

Oct 13, 2015

DULUTH, Minn. - The Asian Lady Beetle started making appearances in homes throughout the Northland over the weekend.

The Asian Lady Beetle is similar to the common lady bug, but is replacing the native insect in areas like Duluth.

As temperatures change the insects seek shelter from cold weather that is potentially fatal.

While they asian lady beetle is not harmful to humans, the bugs can give off a noxious odor, and clump together in corners of rooms, windows, and ceilings.

Experts say the best way to prevent the bugs from getting into a home is to seal all openings well, because the asian lady beetle is adept at finding crevices to hide in.

If the bugs do enter your home the best way to remove them is by sucking them up with a vacuum.


http://www.fox21online.com/news/loca...Homes/35828532

[Hiles Bro]

I had no idea there were land snails that huge.

[alex revision]

Tiny water flea, big cost: Scientists say invasive species impacts much worse than thought

A new study shows the economic and ecological impact of invasive species in the Great Lakes has been dramatically underestimated. In fact, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a single non-native species in a single inland lake has racked up $80 million to $163 million in damage.

http://phys.org/news/2016-03-tiny-fl...asive.html#jCp

[alex revision]

Florida’s Dragon Problem

Huge monitor lizards have invaded the state, and the rest of the U.S. is one unlucky boatload away.

The speckled body of the Nile monitor lizard can reach up to 2 meters in length. At one end is a powerful tail that propels the animal through water and whips attackers with surprising force. At the other is a sinuous head that will devour rodents, birds, fish, crocodile eggs, and pretty much anything else within range of its fearsome, recurved teeth. The monitor isn’t fussy. It’s a formidable animal, and the largest lizard in Africa.

It’s also the largest lizard in Florida.

http://www.theatlantic.com/science/a...roblem/478905/

[alex revision]

African ant 'supercolony' poised to invade the planet

A species of ant in the forests of Ethiopia looks poised to become a globally invasive species, capable of spreading around the world, disrupting ecosystems and becoming a pest for humans.

The species Lepisiota canescens is showing signs it forms "supercolonies," which are colonies comprised of more than one nest. These supercolonies allow a single species of ant to spread out over a large territory, a key step to becoming an invasive species.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/25/afric...he-planet.html

[alex revision]

Polar species spotted in the deep seas of the Mediterranean

Invasive species and those normally found in the Atlantic and polar regions have been spotted in the deep seas of the eastern Mediterranean. The unexpected visitors were seen by a remotely operated vehicle descending to depths of up to 1 kilometre in waters off Lebanon.

The team, led by marine conservation agency Oceana, were left speechless by the discovery of an Atlantic Lantern Shark during their recent month-long expedition. Measuring 20 centimetres and glowing bright blue along its spine and belly, this particular species of Lantern is a shark generally associated with the chilly waters of the Atlantic.

https://www.newscientist.com/article...mediterranean/

[Alex Linder]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/men-catc...da-everglades/

Men catch 15-foot-long, 144-pound python in the Florida Everglades

Snake wranglers Nick Banos and Leonardo Sanchez had a career-making catch during a hunt in the Florida Everglades on Saturday when they wrestled a 15-foot, 144-pound python into submission.

The pair spotted the snake in the brush on the side of a levee where the trees meet the water. It quickly bolted into the bushes and trees when Sanchez jumped to grab it.

“We had to fight it in those trees to get it out,” Banos, 24, told CBS News. “This snake can easily take out a 170-pound man.”

After a few minutes, the hunters were able to take control of the python. One man grabbed the top of its neck, the other carried the tail.

“You have to make sure you have it stretched out,” Banos explained. “Otherwise it’s going to be hard to keep control.”

[alex revision]

The widow next door: Where is the globally invasive noble false widow settling next?

February 11, 2019

The noble false widow spider, Steatoda nobilis, native to Madeira and the Canary Islands, has been introduced accidentally to countries around the globe, causing considerable concerns. Thus, a team of researchers sought to understand how the species became so widespread and predict where it could appear next. According to a recent study the countries which are at an immediate risk of invasions are South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0211131508.htm

[alex revision]

Florida removes 5,000 invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades

Aug 03, 2020

The Burmese python is a nonnative invasive species that threatens to destroy the natural wildlife of the south Florida Everglades ecosystem.

A statement released Tuesday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced a milestone in efforts to restore the Everglades. The FWC, working together with the South Florida Water Management District, under the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis, have removed 5,000 invasive Burmese pythons from south Florida’s Everglades.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/0...verglades.html

[Fico]

Really interesting topic. I had this american turttle:

She is part of invasive species in Europe when I live because he attack weak turttles in new habitat and state has prohibited her pruchase. Same is with races,Whites were invasive species in colonizead areas,nigger into white habitat is also part of invasive species because he attack White order as Whites attack non-white order. All arguments of environmentalism do not worth because invasive species normal live in their new habitat so success depends only because of heredity.

[alex revision]

Invasive, Dog-Sized Lizards Pose Threat Across Southeastern U.S.

Nov 24, 2020

These black-and-white lizards could be the punchline of a joke, except the situation is no laughing matter.

That's because the Argentine black-and-white tegu is an invasive species of dog-sized lizards that scientists worry could pose a threat to endangered species across the Southeast.

The tegus first came to the region as escaped or released pets and began to spread in South Florida more than a decade ago, National Geographic reported. But they are now reaching other states in the region and have been spotted in Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana and Alabama.

https://www.ecowatch.com/tegu-lizard...649018386.html

[Paul Anthony]

Sheboon Sharon Mako, 16, a "refugee" from Namibia, became a rockfish in the Colorado river. She was traveling with a church youth group and decided to go for a "swim."

https://lasvegassun.com/news/2019/au...as-vegas-girl/

Apparently, she "drifted" into the deeper side of the river and started to drown. She leaves behind three littermates and mammy, who also migrated to the US, but no mention of pappy (no suprise).

https://www.gofundme.com/sharon-mako...al-fundraising