Interesting information about alien plant and animal species

What are alien animal species?

Alien animals, also known as neozoa, are animals that did not originally live here but were introduced from other continents. 

 

How did alien animals get here?

They were either accidentally or deliberately introduced and found a new home here. 

Mammals such as the nutria or raccoon were introduced around 1900 to be bred on fur farms. Many of these animals escaped or were released, either to enrich the native wildlife or for hunting. 

Insects such as the Asian hornet and tiger mosquito arrived as 'stowaways' on tourist or international trade routes. 

 

How can alien animals survive in our country?

Animals usually adapt easily to their new habitat. They find plenty of food and have no problems with our climate. If they have no natural predators or competitors, they can reproduce and multiply freely.

 

What problems do alien animals cause?

Insects can have a negative impact on agriculture and forestry. They can pose a health risk if they carry pathogens or parasites. 

Nutria threaten flood defences by undermining banks and dykes. 

Raccoons can be a threat to ground-nesting birds, amphibians and reptiles. 

 

When is an alien species invasive?

An animal species becomes invasive when it successfully competes with native animals for food or becomes a predator. This threatens native animals and their populations. 

This upsets the ecological balance and reduces biodiversity.

 

How did alien plants get here?

Alien plants (also known as neophytes) were introduced as ornamental plants, garden plants or crops. Others arrived amongst other seeds. 

 

How do alien plants spread?

Their seeds are spread by garden waste, soil material, high seed production or as an additive to birdseed. New plants can also develop from parts of stems and roots. 

 

How are alien plants able to survive here?

They have found places that meet their climate requirements and need for nutrient-rich soil. There are also often no pests to harm them. 

 

What problems do alien plants cause?

They can threaten native plants and change the landscape.

They can cause economic damage as weeds. 

 

They can also pose a health risk. For example, common ragweed's pollen can cause allergies and asthma. 

 

Giant hogweed sap can cause severe redness, burns or allergic reactions if it comes into contact with the skin. 

 

 

When is an alien plant invasive?

A plant is invasive if it changes habitats, threatens native plants or becomes a health hazard. 

 

 

What can be done about alien plants and animals?

    

There are national and European legal frameworks that regulate the management of invasive species.

 

These have been the subject of heated debate among conservation organisations. Hunting raccoons, for example, is controversial because they can quickly replenish depleted populations. 

Plants can be dug up before they flower in order to destroy the population or controlled chemically. 

We, ourselves, can also do something by, for example, making sure we: 

Buy bird food that does not contain ragweed seeds. 

Don't feed raccoons with food scraps on compost heaps, in public bins or in feeding bowls. 

Don't dispose of garden waste from invasive plants in the wild or on the compost heap, but always dispose of it in household waste. 

Avoid buying invasive plants.