Invasive Species in Australia and America

Zebra Mussels-Invasive Species in America

Cane Toad- Invasive Species in Australia

          Cane Toads are invasive species in Australia along with rabbits, foxes, and cats. There were introduced to Australia in 1935 from Hawaii. They bred immediately and in a couple months there were over 100 toads. Since their release, they have bred so much that there are over 200 million of these cane toads in Australia. They were brought into Australia in an attempt to control the native cane beetle and were brought from Hawaii. They have expanded through Queensland, and reached the borders of New South Whales and the Northern Territory. The long-term effects of these toads are difficult to determine, however there are multiple reports in declines of the snake population after the toads were introduced. These toads are invading many habitats such as Varanus panoptes, which is a snake. A solution to the cane toad is to let them eat eachother, because many of these toads wiggle their toes and other toads mistake them for an insect and eat them.
          An invasive species in America is the Zebra Mussel. These filter feeders affect native mussels in America by interfeering with feeding, growth, movement, respiration, and reproduction. These mussels starve the native population.. Once these zebra mussels are established in a body of water, there is little to do to get them out, so it is crucial to prevent them from being introduced in the first place. Boaters can take precautions by making sure their motors are free of zebra mussels.
          Invasive species are something we should be worried about because they could affect animals that we eat or our pets that we have. They could eventually become invasive to us. We can relate our issues to those in Australia because they are basically the same thing except with different animals, and overall it is somehow effecting our ecosystem.