A vacation is a time of blissful unconcern and cool detachment, not only from the stress of everyday life but also from the occasional imperfections that blemish our chosen destination. Whether it be rampant poverty, coastal overdevelopment or less than democratic political regimes, we often turn a blind eye to conditions on the ground.
One phenomena that seldom makes the front page is the cumulative harmful effects of non-native and invasive animals under pressure from urban and suburban expansion. A threat to biodiversity, endemic fauna and flora and the relative peace and safety of the local populace, these insects, birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles also throw a dent in tourism. So the next time you travel, be aware of your environs and for the love of God, do not feed the baboons.
Though small, the nocturnal call of the male coqui frog can hit 100 dB. Native to Puerto Rico, these unruly amphibian pests now run wanton in Hawaii.
Africanized honey bees in North America
Crossbred half a century ago in Brazil to increase honey yields but let out into the wild by a negligent keeper, the Africanized bee is now a persistent threat in North America. Known as the “killer bee”, the hybrid model is way more ruthless and hostile in the face of human encroachment than your average honey bee.
The Cape Peninsula of Cape Town, South Africa was a baboon habitat long before the presence of humans. Now however, co-existence has proven to be a difficult marriage. Crafty, aggressive and wired to display overt signs of dominance, the baboons of Cape Town roam parts of the city and peninsula like hungry packs of unruly hooligans.
Black bears in California and the Pacific Northwest
Though the symbol of California is the bear, admiration is best from afar. Far from cuddly, black bears in particular have been a major problem in the beautiful Lake Tahoe area and across the Pacific Northwest.
Pound for pound the most powerful and destructive lifeform in the world, ants rule the planet. The Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) has become a notorious and invasive pest in North America, Australia and Asia and by far the most unpopular export from South America. With a painful, indefatigable sting, no effective control agent has been found to combat the red devils.
Carp in the Mississippi River basin
A nuisance not only in the Mississippi River basin but soon perhaps, in the Great Lakes as well, grass, black, silver, and bighead carps have decimated water systems across the United States. Viral videos of their vertical leaps abound but the real problem with the carp is that other fish cannot compete with them for space and food.
The portrayal of the red fox as underdog is a common theme but people in Australia curse the introduction of the animal in 1855. The feral fox is a major headache.
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Common brushtail possum in New Zealand
Common in Australia but not New Zealand, the brushtail possum drives Kiwis crazy with home and garden invasions and is a notorious conservation terror in the country.
Feral pigs in the United States
When domestic hogs escape, they go wild fast. Millions of feral pigs cause havoc and billions of dollars of property damage from North and South America, to Europe and Oceania.
Red-vented bulbul in the South Pacific
Few consider a bird to be a nuisance or invasive pest in the realm of a baboon or bear but the red-vented bulbul is public enemy number one in the South Pacific. From Fiji to Hawaii, the alien bird from India and Sri Lanka has done irreparable harm to the ecological balance. Again, a regrettable foreign introduction.
A clever and fierce predator, the brown tree snake came to Guam by mistake and with no discernible competition to thwart it, has single-handedly devoured the native bird population.
Zebra mussels in North America
One of the most destructive alien species on the planet, the zebra mussel should have never left the confines of the Black and Caspian Sea. Today the bivalve mollusk clogs the waterways of North America and parts of Europe, with economic damage in the range of $5 billion every year in the United States alone.
Ever popular as food, tilapia farms now run rampant. Smart and considerate consumers with some intel on sustainable seafood stay away from the fish but for all the good intentions in the world, tilapia has become omnipresent. Whether by accident or intentional, the once niche fish is a vile pest.
Mosquitos suck no matter where they are or how they got there but one particular variety is infamous. Native to Southeast Asia, international travel over the past several decades has made many unfortunate souls around the world familiar with the Asian tiger mosquito. West Nile virus and Dengue fever are just two of the gifts the pest leaves behind.
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