Learn all about invasive species in Mexico, what they are, examples and much more, read until the end so you can learn about them and share the information with your loved ones.
What are the einvasive species in Mexico?
As its name indicates, an invasive species is one that does not belong to the place where it is currently, in this case in Mexico, it is important to note that even when they are not native to that geographical area they have the ability to adapt to the ecosystem at the same time. who have migrated, either as part of the Flora or wildlife.
The consequences of this migration are diverse, but one of the most relevant is in terms of the damage they can cause to animals and biodiversity that if they are native to that region, they can even be threatened with disappearance, other problems are at the economic and in public health in Mexico.
These species can arrive by accident, because they are not wanted elsewhere or because of the destruction of native habitat; In Mexico, there are currently seven hundred twenty-four invasive species, of which 100 are categorized as the most dangerous on the entire planet.
In this article you will meet several of these invasive species, some of them migrated while others were introduced into the country by accident or for some interest and it is the main fact by which in Mexico there are introduced species.
Prickly pear moth (Cactoblastis cactorum)
This can also be called "nopal moth", this being one of the species that is classified among the most dangerous in the world and which currently threatens the biodiversity of the Mexican country, these have been introduced by migration from the Caribbean and from the United States.
Their diet resides in cacti of the Opuntia genus and in Mexico there is the greatest diversity of species of this type in the world, which is why they are highly threatened by the presence of this moth.
This animal has caused high losses in both Australia and South Africa, killing more than twenty-five million hectares.
Within this American territory this species is found in three zones, such as: Quintana Roo, Isla Mujeres and Contoy.
It is highlighted that for the year 2009 the data established that it had been eradicated from the national territory, however, the experts do not rule out that it could migrate again by means of commercial transport.
Common bumblebee (Bombus impatiens)
This species comes from countries such as the United States and Canada, being a species of hymenoptera of the Apidae family, this, unlike the previous one, has been introduced in Mexico with a utility, which serves as a pollinator in the nurseries of the region.
However, the biggest problem lies in the fact that many of these animals have escaped from hatcheries and have established populations in the Mexican biodiversity.
Its color is black and it has yellow stripes, it can be differentiated from other animals since it has a white color in an area of its abdomen. Its size is around almost three centimeters and its tongue can reach ten millimeters.
An important element of this species is that it can hybridize with Bombus, this being a species native to Mexico. This animal causes problems in the bumblebees that are native to the Mexican territory; They are invasive species that, as time goes by, their populations expand, not only in Mexico but also in Chile and Argentina.
There are other insects that have invaded Mexico such as:
- The one classified as a fire ant
- The tiger mosquito
- Asian long-horned beetle
Giant African snail (Achatina fulica)
This animal is part of the invasive species of Mexico which originally comes from Africa, more precisely from the east of that territory, which was introduced both in Mexico and in other countries with mainly food interests, but there are also those who obtain them as pets and subsequently release them into the environment without any type of control.
It is currently considered an agricultural pest, since it destroys a great diversity of crops in the fields and nurseries. Its reproduction is very fast so it becomes an even more serious threat to plants native to Mexico that are in total danger.
Another major problem is that it competes with snails originating in Mexico and is a generator of plant and mollusk pathogens.
But this is not the only mollusk that has been introduced in Mexico, there are several invasive species, so the problem is even greater, such as:
- the gray slug
- the zebra mussel
- the asian clam
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
This is a species that originated in the Pacific Ocean, from Mexico to Japan. It is important to note that although it originated in Mexican territory, this did not happen throughout the country, but in many areas it was introduced in the XNUMXth century with the intention that the fishing union would take advantage of it.
This is a salmonid, which is found in more than a hundred farms throughout the Mexican territory, it can be found in both freshwater and saltwater, its diet lies in many of the fish native to Mexico and invertebrate animals, so it ends up with many of the populations of these animals putting biodiversity and fauna at risk.
This animal has placed many of the species in danger of extinction not only in Mexico but throughout the planet, this is classified as one of the most harmful species.
But in addition to this there are also other invasive species, among which the following can be mentioned:
- the sucker
- the red tent
African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis)
Originally this amphibian comes from Africa, its introduction in the Mexican country is due to the fact that science makes use of it for experiments, the problem is that on several occasions it has escaped from the laboratories in which it is studied.
But this is not the only current problem, but it is added to this the fact that they are perhaps clandestinely sold as pets, therefore, they are released into the wild when they are no longer wanted.
In this country this species was brought secondary from California, this animal is carnivorous and devours a large number of species that inhabit Mexico, endangering many species that could even become part of the animals in danger of extinction in Mexico. .
Among the animals that it can consume are many invertebrates, but there are also amphibians on the list, a very important factor is the fact that predators from Mexico do not consume it since it is very toxic. Another amphibian listed as an invasive species is the bullfrog.
Florida slider (Trachemys scripta)
This can also be called a painted turtle and is considered one of the most commercialized species to be the company of people, this is native to the United States, a very interesting detail is the fact that this animal has colonized many parts of the planet due to the fact that the people buy them and then release them.
The sides of its head are red, its family is the Emydidae, it is one of the animals that in recent years has been cataloged as the number one commercialized pet species, since great detail is not necessary to care for it.
This species is considered omnivorous and is capable of eating amphibians that are being protected and many other types of food. In addition, it has been able to displace a native species of Mexico such as the turtle, taking them out of their original habitat, although they are also capable of hybridizing with them or generating affections for them.
There are other reptiles that have invaded Mexico, among which are the following:
- the fire lizard
- leopard gecko
- the green python
Crested myna (Acridotheres cristatellus)
This bird belongs to the family called sturdinae which is native to the Asian continent from territories such as China and Indochina, while in Mexico its origin is due to the fact that they have escaped from homes where they were kept as pets; this is also considered an invasive species of Argentina.
During the year, this bird can reproduce three times, so its spread occurs quite quickly and it colonizes territories in an amazing way. In addition, three subspecies of this bird are known and belong to the Animalia kingdom.
The threat of this bird is with respect to the natives of the Mexican State, since they enter into total competition for food and to reproduce. Another big problem with this animal is that it is capable of transporting many parasites and pathogens, including avian malaria, which is extremely dangerous.
But this is not the only bird considered invasive of Mexico, there are also the following:
- The Argentine Parrot
- African collared pigeon
- Kramer Parrot
Black rat (Rattus rattus)
This rodent belongs to the Muridae family and originates from India, this species was transported on ships in the XNUMXth century, of course without the knowledge of the crew, the largest place they arrived in this way was the European continent after transported to American areas.
Today populations of the black rat can be found almost everywhere on the planet surrounding humans, but also in many forested areas.
This animal has the great potential to get used to and survive in almost any ecosystem since its diet is not explicit, but can eat many foods; Its agility is quite interesting since it can reach the top of the trees, which is why it is considered a danger to birds and many reptiles.
Even in Mexico on various islands, this rodent has been the cause of the disappearance of various species, but this is not the only problem since it can carry parasites that damage many areas of agriculture.
There are also other rodents that have invaded Mexico such as:
- house mouse
- The gray squirrel of the Carolinas
- Missed parda
Cat (Felis catus)
People currently acquire the cat with the intention of making that rodent that is usually so annoying in houses disappear, the mouse, which was also spread throughout the world as a result of human actions.
This species is usually an excellent predator, and they have also been very well domesticated. However, when they are in the wild, they could be of great danger to many birds, but also to amphibians and reptiles.
There are many Mexican islands and other parts of the world that do not usually have this kind of predators, so when this cat is present in them, it has managed to kill off multiple species native to Mexico, and when they do not have any type of food they come closer to people for them to give you a little help.
Another big problem with this species is that they are easy to reproduce, so there are large populations and they are difficult to limit.
Feral pig or European wild boar (Sus scrofa)
Last but not least, this is pig or wild boar as you want to call it, which originated in this national territory because they were domesticated but many times they ran away from home or people abandoned them on farms in the area.
This species has caused many inconveniences in various Mexican crops, they have even damaged their ecosystem to a great extent since they extract vegetation native to Mexico and prevent the ecosystem from working as it should.
Another problem that this species causes is the fact that it feeds on many animals that are considered critically endangered in Mexico, such as various Types of animals such as reptiles, birds and turtles.
There are other mammals that are considered invasive species, among which the following can be mentioned:
- the european rabbit
- The jutia conga