Have you ever dealt with a pesky bug in your home that just didn t belong? Imagine an entire species of animal or plant that invades an area, disrupts the natural balance, and causes harm. These are called invasive species.
Invasive species are organisms that aren t native to a specific location and have a tendency to spread, causing damage to the environment, economy, or human health. They can outcompete native species for resources, alter habitats, and even cause other species to go extinct.
A famous example is the Burmese python in the Florida Everglades. These massive snakes were originally pets, but when they became too large, some owners released them into the wild. With no natural predators, the pythons thrived, preying on native species and disrupting the ecosystem.
In the Great Lakes, tiny zebra mussels cause big problems. They attach themselves to hard surfaces in large numbers, causing damage to infrastructure and outcompeting native mussels.
Invasive species pose a major threat to biodiversity – the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem – and can cause significant economic damage. Efforts to control invasive species and restore native populations are an important part of maintaining our planet's health.