invasive species

Invasive Species 101: Everything You Need to Know

Invasive Species 101: Everything You Need to Know

Quick Key Facts What Are Invasive Species? Whether an animal, a plant or a microbe, an invasive species generally describes a living thing that has not historically lived in a given region. An invasive species by definition has a decidedly negative ecological or economic impact on the habitat it has entered, according to the U.S. […]

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    Scientists Create Contraceptives for Grey Squirrels in the UK

    Scientists Create Contraceptives for Grey Squirrels in the UK

    Government scientists in the UK could soon begin tests for giving oral contraceptives for grey squirrels in the country. The hope is to control this invasive species without killing the animals. The current plan is to set up feeding boxes that only the grey squirrels can access, using hazelnut spread containing the contraceptives as bait. […]

    TikTok Stunts Like ‘Frog Army’ Threaten Ecosystems

    TikTok Stunts Like ‘Frog Army’ Threaten Ecosystems

    TikTok has introduced many interesting trends, from cleaning hacks to fashion styles. But a recent stunt to relocate animals, like frogs and ladybugs, and release millions of these creatures into non-native habitats is putting ecosystems at risk. In early 2022, TikTok user thinfrog began posting videos of frogs in a paddling pool near his home. […]

    New Hampshire Distillery Infuses Whiskey With Invasive Crab Species

    New Hampshire Distillery Infuses Whiskey With Invasive Crab Species

    Invasive species threaten native species by crowding them out or taking over much of the available resources the native species need to survive. While experts have taken many approaches to confront invasive species, a distillery in New Hampshire is taking an innovative route: by turning the invasive European green crab into an ingredient for a […]

    10 of the Most Invasive Plant Species in the U.S.

    10 of the Most Invasive Plant Species in the U.S.

    Despite their name, invasive species can be deceptively cute, stunning, or fragrant, inspiring people to introduce them to non-native habitats. But the issue is that some species are moved to a new area, either on purpose or by mistake, and are met with a lack of natural predators, allowing them to crowd out native species.

    Invasive Jumping Earthworms Spotted in California

    Invasive Jumping Earthworms Spotted in California

    What grows up to eight inches long, is dark with a white band, can leap a foot in the air and is the latest threat to California’s forest ecosystems?  The answer is the Asian jumping worm (Amynthas agrestis), a uniquely mobile species of earthworm with an impressive appetite that was sighted in the state for […]

    118 Invasive Species Found in Illegal Zoo

    118 Invasive Species Found in Illegal Zoo

    In Gran Canaria, part of the Canary Islands, police have recovered 139 animals, most of which were invasive species and several of which are dangerous. The lineup includes iguanas, pythons, giant African snails, and caimans. Authorities, part of the Seprona environmental division of the Guardia Civil, investigated the property after the owner died, and word […]

    Species Snapshot: The El Rincon Stream Frog Is in Hot Water

    Species Snapshot: The El Rincon Stream Frog Is in Hot Water

    By Federico Kacoliris The El Rincon stream frog only lives in hot springs at the headwaters of a small Patagonian stream. With just a handful of decimated populations remaining, the critically endangered frog is struggling to survive. Species name: El Rincon stream frog, also known as the Somuncura or Valcheta frog (Pleurodema somuncurense) Description: This […]