Two invasive species, the American bullfrog and the brown tree snake cost the world an estimated $16 billion between 1986 and 2020. Shocking, isn’t it? You might be wondering how. According to a study published on Thursday, they have caused problems ranging from crop damage to power outages. Here is more on the story.
Invasive species: the American bullfrog and the brown tree snake
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The brown-and-green frog is known as lithobates catesbeianus. According to research published in Scientific Reports, it can weigh over 2 pounds and had the greatest impact in Europe.
The brown tree snake, or boiga irregularis, has multiplied uncontrollably on Pacific islands including Guam and the Marianna Islands. The researcher Ismael Soto said that the species was introduced by U.S. troops in World War II.
The snakes have at times been so abundant that they caused power outages by crawling on electrical equipment, he said.
This signals the need for investment in controlling the global transport of invasive species
It is to avoid paying for mitigation after the invasions occur, said Soto. He is a Ph.D. student at the University of South Bohemia in the Czech Republic, the study’s lead researcher.
“Nowadays, the pet trade is the main pathway for these species, especially now that everyone wants to get the most exotic snake,” stated Soto. “We propose continuously updating the black list of forbidden species for trade. (Xanax) ”
The figures for bullfrogs and tree snakes were derived by aggregating costs associated with invasive species. They were considered as described in peer-reviewed literature or studies deemed of high reliability and predominantly came from estimates and extrapolations rather than empirical observations.
