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Most Invasive Species in Africa

Most Invasive Species in Africa

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For centuries, humans have either inadvertently or purposely introduced alien species into new environments, sometimes hoping to alleviate a problem but instead disrupting ecosystems and endangering native plants and animals. Across the African continent, invasive species have become an enormous problem, and local ecosystems continue to struggle with the threat. Here are some of the most invasive species in Africa.

Sources: News.NationalGeographic.com, ENS-NewsWire.com, Wikipedia.org

 

En.Wikipedia.org
En.Wikipedia.org

Louisiana Crayfish

The tiny red swamp crayfish was introduced into Africa via Kenya’s Lake Naivasha in the 1970s after the regional native crayfish was wiped out by disease. Shortly afterwards, however, it became an uncontrollable problem throughout Kenya and South Africa, where its ability to adapt its diet based on whatever was available reduced the population of fish and caused several aquatic plant species to disappear.

CISR.UCR.edu
CISR.UCR.edu

Argentine ant

This South American ant was inadvertently introduced in South Africa where it displaced native ant populations, threatening local ecosystems. Native plants that depend on native ants for seed dispersal have suffered, and lizard populations have declined as their food sources become scarcer. The Argentine ant has also helped plant parasites grow, causing damage to crops across South Africa. The scariest part? Spraying these guys with pesticides can actually stimulate egg production in the queens, exacerbating the problem.

Commons.Wikimedia.org
Commons.Wikimedia.org

Mirror carp

Introduced to fish farms for food more than 200 years ago in Africa, the mirror carp preys on local fish and invertebrates, displacing local populations. Females are capable of laying up to one million eggs at a time, and their enormous reproductive power makes it easy for them to escape the farms and populate lakes and streams.

En.Wikipedia.org
En.Wikipedia.org

House mouse

The house mouse, originally native to Asia but spread to the rest of the world during the period of European colonization, has become a pest throughout Africa, but is especially brutal in South Africa. Killing native insects and lizards, house mice are also responsible for reducing native bird populations. On Marion Island — one of two small islands in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean that are part of South Africa — the lesser sheathbill (a wading bird) has become particularly threatened as house mice have begun to out-compete it for food.

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

South American water hyacinth

A popular ornamental plant, the South American water hyacinth grows extremely rapidly and has become one of the worst aquatic weeds in the world. Its quick growth can block waterways and crowd out other plants and wildlife, and populations can double in just 12 days. It’s a growing problem in Africa.

En.Wikipedia.org
En.Wikipedia.org

Red-eared slider

The red-eared slider is one of the most popular pets in North America, but has become a difficult pest throughout sub-Saharan Africa after its introduction several decades ago. With a low age of maturity and large size, red-eared sliders have advantages over local turtle species for basking and nesting, and further threaten local populations by transmitting different diseases.

En.Wikipedia.org
En.Wikipedia.org

Common myna

Native to Asia and the Middle East, common mynas escaped into the wild in South Africa in 1902, and the species has grown at a rapid rate. Due to a strong territorial instinct and a preference for living close to human populations, the common myna is an enormous urban pest and is known to kick other birds out of their nests in the cities.

CISR.UCR.edu
CISR.UCR.edu

Tiger mosquito

The black-and-white-striped tiger mosquito made its way to Africa from Southeast Asia through the transport of goods and human international travel, and has quickly depleted the populations of other species. It has the ability to quickly adapt to new environments, and is a carrier of a variety of diseases and parasites including yellow fever, dengue fever and chikungunya fever.

ISpot.co.za
ISpot.co.za

Quilted melania

The quilted melania, a freshwater snail native to Southeast Asia, is particularly troublesome in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa, and has recently been found in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and beyond. Introduced in 1996, the quilted melania colonizes water reservoirs, disrupting dams and ponds, and blocking water pipes and other equipment.

RareExoticSeeds.com
RareExoticSeeds.com

Giant Sensitive Tree

Actually a dense thicket, the giant sensitive tree forms dense, impenetrable walls in wet areas throughout sub-Saharan Africa, crowding out other species. With the ability to germinate year round and extremely rapid growth, the giant sensitive tree processes from flower bud to ripe seed in just five weeks. Mostly native to the sub-tropics in South America, it has become a serious weed problem in Africa.