How can a species be both an endangered species and an invasive species? It's kind of like the definition of a "weed," which is merely a plant growing in the wrong place. The sea lamprey is a fish and a fish parasite. In the Atlantic ocean, it is part of a natural ecosystem in which it both predator and prey, and sucks blood from fish large enough to survive the experience. The sea lamprey is endangered in some areas.
However, sometime in the 19th century, lampreys came to live in the Great Lakes, where they are not so welcome. The lampreys have few predators there, and they are thriving in all five lakes. That's been a disaster for the fishing industry, as a lamprey can suck enough blood to kill 40 pounds of fish every day. Read about the effects of lampreys in the Great Lakes, and the steps that are being taken to gain control of them, at Vox. -via Real Clear Science
(Image credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
#lamprey #sealamprey #invasivespecies #GreatLakes
