It’s no secret that I love all animals, so people are often surprised when I talk badly about invasive species. Of course, it’s not the animals’ faults that they’ve taken over other ecosystems, but there are lots of negative effects of invasive species. So, what’s wrong with invasive species and how can we humanely fix these issues?
What is an Invasive Species?
Here is the invasive species definition: any species that’s not native to the ecosystem. This refers to any animals, plants, and other living organisms that appear in an area they’re not supposed to be in.
Invasive species occur because of humans. People bring these species to non-native environments, sometimes by accident but sometimes on purpose. If enough of these creatures arrive in a new environment, they could quickly reproduce and spread further.
Why are Invasive Species Bad?
By definition, invasive animals don’t seem all that bad. They’re just creatures living in a new location. However, in most cases, this isn’t as innocent as it sounds. There are a lot of downsides to invasive species, and some are certainly more harmful than others.
Below are a few reasons invasive species are bad. Essentially, they negatively impact the local ecosystem in more ways than we can imagine.
Competing with Native Species
When a species leaves its natural ecosystem to live somewhere else, it will need to compete with the species native to that region. This could cause issues for the ecosystem. The invasive species will steal food and supplies that native species need, which could cause resources to run out. This can harm a wide range of native plants and animals.
Not only does competing with native species directly harm that species, but it also hurts any animals that rely on that species for food or other needs.
Hurting Native Species
Some species are naturally aggressive. Invasive species could enter a new area and pick fights with the native species. This could severely injure or even kill animals that are supposed to be there. Instead of just stealing resources, aggressive invasive species could also be harming native wildlife just because. Of course, this depends on the species.
Altering Habitats
With an invasive species trying to survive in a new ecosystem, the habitat could shift over time. For example, a species that burrows in the ground frequently could harm the growth of native plants. Even small changes caused by invasive species could lead to big effects, such as altering soil chemistry or causing more frequent wildfires.
Breeding with Native Species
While not as common as other issues, some invasive species could breed with native species, causing unusual hybrids that can’t reproduce. These hybrid animals aren’t meant to be in the ecosystem just like the invasive species, so they could cause additional issues.
A common example of this is pet axolotls being released in the wild and breeding with tiger salamanders (it’s the reason axolotls are illegal as pets in certain areas).
Causing Extinctions
Since invasive species compete with native species, alter the environment, and sometimes attack other animals, they could eventually cause native species to become extinct. If native animals no longer exist for that reason, that can be extremely harmful for the environment, affecting both the predators and prey of that species. This is a huge biodiversity loss for the region.
Spreading Diseases
Invasive species can bring diseases from other regions and spread them across their new environment. Depending on the diseases, they could harm both people and animals. This would not only harm native animal species, but it could greatly harm the humans living there too.
What are Common Invasive Species?
Invasive species don’t mean to cause destruction, but it’s often inevitable. Here are some examples of well-known invasive species that have come to the US from other areas:
Asian Carp
Burmese Pythons
Cane Toads
Domestic Cats (yes, this includes pet cats living outdoors)
European Starlings
Gypsy Moths
Japanese Beetles
Lionfish
Quaker Parrots
Wild Hogs
Zebra Mussels
You can view the USDA’s invasive species profiles list for a comprehensive list of invasive animals.
In most cases, it’s up to the local government to decide what to do about these species. I don’t personally believe that harming these animals is okay, and if there are other methods for fixing the issue, I believe we should take those routes.
Yet, in some cases, the invasive species has spread so much that there might not be a way to fix the issue. Sometimes, all we can do is make sure we don't bring more non-native plants and animals to new regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Invasive Species Always Bad?
No, invasive species aren’t always bad. While they almost always have negative impacts on the environment they appeared in, they can have positive impacts too. Some could work with the native species instead of against them, making them less likely to harm native animals and plants.
How Do Invasive Species Affect the Tropical Rainforest?
Invasive species in tropical rainforests have similar effects to other areas. Invasive animals could compete with existing species or pick fights, causing the native animals to suffer. Invasive plants could take over the environment from native plants or even block sunlight. These species can be extremely harmful to the ecosystem.
What Invasive Species are in the Tundra?
Even though people don’t travel to the tundra as much as other areas, there are still some invasive species there. The red fox is the most notable, which competes with arctic foxes. The Japanese knotweed is an invasive plant that can spread quickly to harm the tundra.
What Invasive Animals are in Florida?
Florida is home to lots of invasive animals, including Burmese pythons, feral hogs, cane toads, lionfish, and Cuban tree frogs. The high number of invasive species is likely because so many people travel there, sometimes bringing non-native animals with them.
How to Stop Invasive Animals
When most people find out why invasive species are bad, they want to know what we can do to protect the ecosystem from invasive animals. To me, this is a tricky topic because these animals never planned to take over a new environment. They’re just trying to survive like the native animals.
So, of course, I never suggest harming these animals. You may be able to remove invasive plants, but you should always check your local laws before doing so. There are humane ways to trap and remove invasive animals, but again, you should look at your local laws to find out the correct way to do it.
Existing invasive animals aren’t the only issue. It’s also important to ensure we don’t bring more into the area. If a pet is illegal to own in your area, please don’t get one. If that pet ends up escaping, it could be harmful to the ecosystem (and it won’t be an ideal environment for your pet either).
I know exotic pets are cool, but it’s important to always do your research before bringing one into your home. That includes research about care and local laws.