Incoming! The World’s 10 Worst Invasive Species

KUDZU ORIGIN – Japan & Southeast China New Location(s) – Southern USA; New Jersey; Oregon How it introduced - At the Philadelphia Centennial Expo of 1876 as a fast-growing ground cover How it harmful - The vine is very fast-growing and overgrows, taking over native plant species

Rabbits Origin – Europe New Location – Australia How it was introduced – Thomas Austin, in 1859, released 24 rabbits in Australia How it is harmful – They destroy native plants; cause soil erosion; damage the food chains

Starlings Origin – Europe New Location – All over the USA How it was introduced - In 1890, Eugene Schieffelin released 60 starlings in Central Park How it is harmful – Decrease the numbers of native birds; $800 Million in agricultural losses; cause of deadly plane crashes

Burmese Python Origin – Asia New Location – Florida Everglades How it was introduced – People released pets they no longer wanted into the areas surrounding the glades How it is harmful – It has few predators so its numbers are not kept in check; it eats endangered species; disrupts the food chains

Cane Toads Origin – America (Texas) New Location – Queensland, Australia How it was introduced – Purposely released to control the population of beetles in sugar cane plantations How it is harmful – Has toxins which kill would-be predators; eats native species reducing their numbers

Snakehead Fish Origin – East Asia & Africa New Location – Leeds, England How introduced – By fisheries How harmful – They devour anything they can find; they can crawl on the ground & survive for 4 days breathing air

Eastern Grey Squirrel Origin – North America New Location – Great Britain How it was introduced – Deliberately introduced in the 19th century; the releasers were curious about grey squirrels How it is harmful – Grey squirrels compete more successfully then the native Red Squirrels; grey squirrels also carry a virus that infects the red squirrels

Killer Bees (Africanized Honey Bees) Origin – Sao Paulo, Brazil New Locations- New Orleans, Southern Utah, throughout South America How it was introduced – In 1957, 26 Tanzanian queen bees were accidentally released by a beekeeper and mated with honey bees How it is harmful – The hybrid bees are VERY aggressive bees

Asian Carp Origin – China New Locations - Midwestern USA; along the Mississippi River Imported to clear the algae from catfish ponds in the Southern USA. Flooding allowed the carp to spread to the Mississippi River then to other locations How harmful – Detrimental to the environment; Uproot natural vegetation

Rats Origin – Norwegian rats from Japanese boats New Location – Alaska Aleutian Island Chain How it was introduced – Norway rats escaped a shipwrecked Japanese boat in 1780 How it is harmful – Blamed for up to 60% of recorded extinction of Island birds & reptiles