[Animals] Fire ant, one of the animals most likely to be declared an invader in Spain

[#Wittels-]

Two other ants, a fish, a tree, a beetle and the whole family of mongooses and meerkats can enter the list

Three varieties of ants -the fire, the crazy and the pharaoh-, an aquarium fish, an oceanic tree, the red palm weevil and the entire family of mongooses and meerkats (except the mongoose, a European mongoose) are some of the species that could form part of the Spanish Catalog of Invasive Alien Species, a fact that would prohibit its possession, transport and trade.

 

These species are considered invasive due to very different casuistries and, in some cases -such as that of ants-, the inclusions in the Catalog happen before they appeared or shortly after they were detected, that is, by prevention, the coordinator of the Life Invasaqua project of the Iberian Society of Ichthyology, Frederic Casals.

According to Casals, who is also a professor at the Department of Animal Science at the University of Lleida, the fire ant, the crazy ant or the pharaoh are arriving through trade in wood or gardening as stowaways, so it is "important" anticipated and appeared on the charts.

1. Red palm weevil
It is a giant coleoptor (beetle) of the weevil family between 7 and 8 centimeters in length, which has been in Spain for decades and has already destroyed palm trees in many places.

 

Red weevil

 

2. Myopore
This tree from the antipodes has been used in gardening for years, which is why Casals stresses the importance of controlling the species that are used in public works, since sometimes "there is not enough coordination", laments the expert.

myopore tree

3. Mongooses and meerkats
Another of the current problems related to trade linked to pet ownership - which some animal groups qualify as "petism" as they consider it excessive in this country - is the number of raccoon specimens that exist in Madrid.

Mongooses and meerkats can be kept as pets, and when they grow large and become nuisance, they are often released without knowing what impact they will have on local biodiversity.

Raccoon

The raccoon, a close example of these species, is an animal that "eats everything" (reptiles, amphibians and even insects) and is "relatively aggressive" towards people, so it is expected that mongooses and meerkats, when released, They can also cause a direct impact on native species.

4. Ants
Some species are considered potential invaders as it is not known precisely if they will have a negative impact, although from the fire ant, for example, which stings and is poisonous, a direct effect on people can be anticipated.

Some exotic species that have been in a place for years or decades begin to impact the environment, for example, in the form of pests, due to the changes that occur, whether they are climatic or land use, among others.

 

5. Aquarium fish
This variety of fish that is often found in aquariums has only been introduced in the Vallvidrera reservoir, in Barcelona, which is part of the Sierra de Collserola Natural Park, which has had to be emptied not only for this species but also by other invaders, such as the crucian carp.

In this swamp, near the city of Barcelona, there are people who leave fish, turtles or any other animal when they decide to stop keeping them, something that happens in many other aquatic ecosystems.

The Paramisgurnus dabryanus, commonly known as the large-scaled fang, is not "more dangerous than others", but its possible inclusion in the official catalog has to do with the site where it has been introduced.

 

The reservoir area is "very important" to maintain the po[CENSORED]tions of native amphibians, as identified by the managers of the Natural Park, who periodically empty the reservoir to eliminate these invasive exotic species, which mostly prey on eggs, tadpoles and adults. of amphibians.

 

The root problem, this expert details, lies in internet commerce, which allows you to buy any species of fish even if "in theory" it is not legal, taking advantage of the lack of control.

Although it seemed that this specific species had already been eradicated, Casals details that it has happened as with many other tropical fish in which there are sudden changes in the water level: the specimens have been able to bury themselves and stabilize hibernating in the mud .

 

Link: https://www.informacion.es/medio-ambiente/2022/04/18/son-animales-posibilidades-declarados-invasores-65083360.html