The danger of exotic species

What are exotic species? Alien species are species that are not native to the environment. They can be plants, fish or animals. The reason they are dangerous is that they can invade a native environment and take over because native species, be they plants, fish or mammals, do not have the means to defend themselves against introduced alien species.

An exotic species, which is not really that exotic, but is classified as harmful or potentially harmful and can take over an environment and affect the ecosystem is the common goldfish. Gold fish are abundant. They are easily obtained. And they can be dumped into a local pond or lake where they can grow and displace native species while eating food intended for native species. Another well-known example is how pythons have been taking over the Everglades in Florida, and can even consume alligators.

Potentially harmful plants include water hyacinths, giant salvinia, and hydrilla. Exotic fish include Asian carp, which go by the names grass, silver, and bighead; tilapia and zebra mussel. Harmful plants and animals are regulated by strict state laws. Permits are required to transport them. There are fines if these species are found. There are some permits given to zoologists or for research purposes, but outside of that, there are strict controls against exotic and potentially harmful species. Texas only has a 370-page book that features information on the various species and species alike. If you do a Google search for “regulated alien species” along with a specific state name, such as “Texas regulated alien species,” you’ll find that the different states have specific information and links to their state regulations. The point is that the issue of exotic species and dangerous species is an important issue.

For example, in the case of the zebra mussel, boats are required to be drained of water when leaving or approaching public freshwater. Also, these mussels cannot be found attached to the boat. Other regulations cover the adherence of vegetation to the boat, or live bait regulations. The only way to find out the regulations for the particular state where you live or vacation is to look up the regulations for that particular state. People in tournaments are covered by special rules and documentation held by tournament organizers.

Another form of regulation concerns the transportation of live non-game fish to specific geographic locations. In other words, certain geographic locations have specific rules that cover only them. These will be better known to the locals, but if you’re going to a certain place, it’s worth looking up these regulations so you don’t break them. The purpose of these regulations is to keep native species alive and well, and to prevent non-native species from outcompeting native species and destroying the natural ecosystem.