Two invasive species, the American bullfrog and the American tree frog snake, caused an estimated $16 billion in damages globally between 1986 and 2020, causing a range of problems from crop damage to power outages, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.
The species that had the greatest impact in Europe was a brown-and-green frog weighing more than 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms) known as Lithobates catesbeianus, according to the study published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The brown arboreal snake, known as Boega irregularus, was introduced by the U.S. military during World War II and has since multiplied out of control on Pacific islands, including Guam and the Mariana Islands, said Ismael Soto, the study’s lead researcher.
The snakes are so numerous that they sometimes crawl over electrical equipment and cause power outages, he said. This shows the need for investment in controlling the global movement of invasive species so that mitigation measures are not costly after they arrive, he added.
“We propose to continually update the blacklist of banned species,” Soto told Reuters.
This is a premium article available exclusively to our subscribers. To read more than 250 premium articles each month, you have reached your free article limit. Support quality journalism. You have reached your free article limit. Support quality journalism. X You have read {{data.cm.views}} of {{data.cm.maxViews}} free articles. X This is your last free article.
Source link
