Invaders upset world order
Published 3:59 pm Thursday, May 16, 2013
Humans can believe we have “dominion” over the Earth, but Mother Nature always begs to differ. Usually in a showy or scary demonstration of power. For example, the Pavlof Volcano, southwest of mainland Alaska, was spewing ash clouds as high as 20,000 feet on Wednesday, putting it on “watch status,” along with the Cleveland Volcano in the same range. Lava was reported flowing at both mountains. Perhaps they were reacting to the news that Mount Everest is melting. (Mother Nature doesn’t mind a little anthropomorphism.)
Elsewhere, invasive species, as they are wont to do, wreak havoc on the delicate balance of any given ecosystem. In April, New York environmental officials were on alert for a type of air-breathing snakehead fish, the Los Angeles Times reported. The invasive “predator fish” can breath only air up to four days and can use its fins to crawl across land to get to water, where they eat other fish and frogs. That would be impressive, except for the fact that the fish are native to China, Russia and the Koreas, has no natural predators in America, where it has been invading waters, and is already “established” in Florida.
New York officials haven’t found any evidence of the “Frankenfish” as they are called in the U.S., but you know it’s just matter of time before they visit from Florida. (Reportedly a delicacy in Singapore, enterprising fishermen should be busy exporting them.)
Another invasive menace are the feral pigs trashing many states, causing more than $1.5 billion in annual agricultural damage alone, the New York Times reported. In 1990, fewer than two million wild pigs inhabited 20 states. The number has now risen to six million, with sightings in 47 states and established populations in 38. (They are as far north as Oregon!) The swine — mostly Russian wild boars — are thought to have spread after escaping from private shooting preserves and during illegal transport by hunters across state lines. Besides fields and lawns, they decimate wetlands, kill livestock, spread diseases and aren’t above attacking humans.
“As a nation, we have not thought through this invasive species problem, and we just have disaster after disaster after disaster,” Patrick Rusz, director of wildlife services at the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy, told the New York Times.
In confirmation, a week later it was reported that “Louisiana is shrinking, thanks to giant swamp rats.” Those darn Nutria simply pay no mind to their status as a “Prohibited Aquatic Animal Species.”
To help, citizens can familiarize themselves with our state’s enemies — animals, insects and plants. Reports can made to 1-877-9-INFEST. For more information, visit the Washington Invasive Species Council website.
