#invasivespecies

#invasivespecies

“Toadzilla” Discovered By Australian RangersIt’s not gonna go out to cities to destroy them though, so don’t worry!Rangers stationed at a national park in Queensland were shocked to discover an enormous toad, to the point that they claimed that it probably was the largest in history. The amphibian was given the nickname “Toadzilla,” to honor its massive size. The toad was found near Airlie Beach in Conway National Park, according to the Queensland Government's Department of Environment and Science. Park ranger Kylee Gray did not notice the amphibian at first, instead stopping because she saw a snake across the path. This Toadzilla is a cane toad, one of the worst invasive species in the world. They were released in Queensland in 1935 to control cane beetle populations. However, they also spread quickly in the region as there are no natural predators in the area that can hunt them down. These amphibians can lay between 8,000 and 30,000 eggs. That’s a lot. The toad will be able to break the previous record held by another cane toad named Prinsen, who lived in Sweden. Unfortunately, Toadzilla will not be able to celebrate if they do manage to break the Guinness World Record, as they had to be euthanized due to the damage they can cause to the environment. Image credit: Queensland Department of Environment and Science#invasivespecies #animals #amphibians #toad #canetoad #Austrialia #Queensland

The Invasive and Endangered Sea LampreyHow 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

Don't Release Pet Goldfish into Lakes: "They Grow Bigger Than You Think" and Threaten the EcosystemOfficials of the city of Burnsville, south of Minneapolis in Minnesota, implored the public not to release their pet goldfish into ponds and lakes."They grow bigger than you think and contribute to poor water quality by mucking up bottom sediments and uprooting plants," the officials tweeted on Jul 9, 2021. They also added a few photos of giant goldfish that were recently caught in Keller Lake.According to Daryl Jacobson, natural resource manager for the city of Burnsville, people thought that the small goldfish in a home aquarium would remain that size in a lake. But they tend to match their environment and could grow much larger. "They are a tough species. They can survive under ice, with low oxygen and in unclear water," he added in an interview with USA Today.By the way, the largest goldfish caught in the wild was a 9 lb (4 kg) goldfish caught in South Carolina in 2020.#lake #goldfish #fish #ecosystem #invasivespecies