A first-of-its-kind study has revealed what felons like cats eat globally and has also quantified its impact on wildlife. The study conducted by United States Urban University states that these sharp predators feed on about 2,000 species across the globe.

Gravitas | Cats can demolish 2,000 species, says study

Invasive species are wreaking havoc and upending ecosystems faster than ever before. Humans have been unable to stop its spread, costing the global economy over $400 billion every year, according to a report by the United Nations published on Monday (September 4).&nbsp;

<h2>‘Gross underestimation’</h2>

With the rise in the spread of invasive species, the world has seen economic damages quadruple every decade since 1970, the UN Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) noted&nbsp;in its findings. &nbsp;

The failure to stem the tide of the so-called “alien species” in the world’s ecosystems&nbsp;also costs the world at least $423 billion in damages and income every year, according to the UN assessment. To put this number into perspective, the amount is equivalent to the GDP of Denmark or Thailand, but the scientists have called it a “gross underestimation”.

The findings are based on a four-year assessment of the global impacts of some 3,500 harmful invasive species conducted by a team of 86 researchers from 49 countries. Notably, so-called alien invaders also played a key role in 60 per cent of recorded plant and animal extinctions.&nbsp;

<h2>‘Alien species’ wreak&nbsp;havoc across the world</h2>

From water hyacinths choking fishing grounds and water bodies to&nbsp;rats and snakes gobbling up bird eggs and wiping out entire species in the Pacific and non-native grasses that helped fuel and intensify the deadly wildfires in Hawaii;&nbsp;environmental chaos has been sown by invasive species across the world.&nbsp;

Not to mention the mosquitoes exposing new regions to Zika, yellow fever, dengue and other diseases. The report also noted the role of more than 37,000 so-called alien species that have taken root far away from their places of origin.&nbsp;

At least three-quarters of the negative impacts from invasive species occur on land, particularly in forests, woodlands, and farmed areas, said the UN report.&nbsp;

Simply put, invasive species are plants or animals, often moved due to human activity, which can take root – literally in some cases – and have detrimental effects on an environment. While the effects are slow to materialise they can be catastrophic. &nbsp;

“We also know this is a problem that is going to get much, much worse,” said ecologist Helen Roy, co-chair of the IPBES. This comes as warmer temperatures due to climate change are expected to make things worse and drive the expansion of invasive species.&nbsp;

The report has also concluded by saying that factors such as economic expansion, population increase and climate change “increase the frequency and extent of biological invasions and the impacts of invasive alien species.”&nbsp;

But we only have ourselves to blame. According to the researchers, whether by accident or on purpose non-native species end up on the other side of the world due to human activity.&nbsp;

More often than not, invasive species are accidental arrivals like ballast water of cargo ships or a tourist’s suitcase.&nbsp;

They also said that this is hard evidence of the rapid expansion of human activity which has radically altered natural systems and tipped the Earth to a new geological epoch, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explained-what-is-anthropocene-the-new-epoch-marked-by-human-impact-614721">the Anthropocene</a>.&nbsp;

<h2>How big is threat of invasive species?</h2>

“Invasive alien species are a major threat to biodiversity and can cause irreversible damage to nature, including local and global species extinctions, and also threaten human wellbeing,” wrote Roy, Professor Anibal Pauchard and Professor Peter Stoett, who led the research.&nbsp;

The researchers also noted that while “specific species that inflict damage vary from place to place, these are risks and challenges with global roots but very local impacts facing people in every country, from all backgrounds and in every community – even Antarctica is being affected.”

“Invasive species are affecting not only nature but also people and causing terrible loss of life,” said Pauchard who is also the report co-chair.&nbsp;

One of the most recent examples of this is the wildfires in Hawaii last month which claimed the lives of at least 115 people and are said to be driven by flammable invasive grasses which, scientists say, were brought over from Africa as livestock pasture.&nbsp;

According to Roy, invasives can show up in several forms, including microbes, and invertebrates but plants, and animals often have the greatest environmental impact, particularly predators.&nbsp;

<h2>What can we do about it?</h2>

Once introduced and established in an environment, getting rid of invasive species is difficult. While some small islands have witnessed some success in eradicating invasive rats and rabbits with trapping and/or poisoning; larger populations pose a challenge.&nbsp;

The report also noted that only 17 per cent of countries have measures, laws or regulations to manage this onslaught of invasive species.&nbsp;

“Birds in New Zealand had no experience with rats until humans came and brought rats. Their nests are at ground level,” said Pauchard, speaking about how many island species had previously evolved without predators which made them “very naive”.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, invasive plants often reportedly leave their seeds lying dormant in the soil for years.&nbsp;

Therefore, the IPBES outlines general strategies to combat invasive species which include prevention, eradication and then, failing that, containment. However, prevention measures through border biosecurity and import controls are most effective, said the scientists.&nbsp;

In a bid to save biodiversity, at least 190 countries have committed to placing 30 per cent of land and water under protection by 2030, in line with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/countries-sign-historic-deal-at-cop-15-commit-billions-by-2030-to-save-biodiversity-544511">global treaty</a> hammered out in Montreal last December.&nbsp;

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework also aims to reduce the rate at which invasive alien species spread by half by 2030.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

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Invasive species are wreaking havoc and upending ecosystems faster than ever before. Humans have been unable to stop its spread, costing the global economy over $400 billion every year, according to a report by the United Nations published on Monday (September 4).

Invasive species are wreaking havoc and upending ecosystems faster than ever before. Humans have been unable to stop its spread, costing the global economy over $400 billion every year, according to a report by the United Nations published on Monday (September 4). ‘Gross underestimation’ With the rise in the spread of invasive species, the world has seen economic damages quadruple every decade since 1970, the UN Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) noted in its findings. The failure to stem the tide of the so-called “alien species” in the world’s ecosystems also costs the world at least $423 billion in damages and income every year, according to the UN assessment. To put this number into perspective, the amount is equivalent to the GDP of Denmark or Thailand, but the scientists have called it a “gross underestimation”. The findings are based on a four-year assessment of the global impacts of some 3,500 harmful invasive species conducted by a team of 86 researchers from 49 countries. Notably, so-called alien invaders also played a key role in 60 per cent of recorded plant and animal extinctions. ‘Alien species’ wreak havoc across the world From water hyacinths choking fishing grounds and water bodies to rats and snakes gobbling up bird eggs and wiping out entire species in the Pacific and non-native grasses that helped fuel and intensify the deadly wildfires in Hawaii; environmental chaos has been sown by invasive species across the world. Not to mention the mosquitoes exposing new regions to Zika, yellow fever, dengue and other diseases. The report also noted the role of more than 37,000 so-called alien species that have taken root far away from their places of origin. At least three-quarters of the negative impacts from invasive species occur on land, particularly in forests, woodlands, and farmed areas, said the UN report. Simply put, invasive species are plants or animals, often moved due to human activity, which can take root – literally in some cases – and have detrimental effects on an environment. While the effects are slow to materialise they can be catastrophic. “We also know this is a problem that is going to get much, much worse,” said ecologist Helen Roy, co-chair of the IPBES. This comes as warmer temperatures due to climate change are expected to make things worse and drive the expansion of invasive species. The report has also concluded by saying that factors such as economic expansion, population increase and climate change “increase the frequency and extent of biological invasions and the impacts of invasive alien species.” But we only have ourselves to blame. According to the researchers, whether by accident or on purpose non-native species end up on the other side of the world due to human activity. More often than not, invasive species are accidental arrivals like ballast water of cargo ships or a tourist’s suitcase. They also said that this is hard evidence of the rapid expansion of human activity which has radically altered natural systems and tipped the Earth to a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene. How big is threat of invasive species? “Invasive alien species are a major threat to biodiversity and can cause irreversible damage to nature, including local and global species extinctions, and also threaten human wellbeing,” wrote Roy, Professor Anibal Pauchard and Professor Peter Stoett, who led the research. The researchers also noted that while “specific species that inflict damage vary from place to place, these are risks and challenges with global roots but very local impacts facing people in every country, from all backgrounds and in every community – even Antarctica is being affected.” “Invasive species are affecting not only nature but also people and causing terrible loss of life,” said Pauchard who is also the report co-chair. One of the most recent examples of this is the wildfires in Hawaii last month which claimed the lives of at least 115 people and are said to be driven by flammable invasive grasses which, scientists say, were brought over from Africa as livestock pasture. According to Roy, invasives can show up in several forms, including microbes, and invertebrates but plants, and animals often have the greatest environmental impact, particularly predators. What can we do about it? Once introduced and established in an environment, getting rid of invasive species is difficult. While some small islands have witnessed some success in eradicating invasive rats and rabbits with trapping and/or poisoning; larger populations pose a challenge. The report also noted that only 17 per cent of countries have measures, laws or regulations to manage this onslaught of invasive species. “Birds in New Zealand had no experience with rats until humans came and brought rats. Their nests are at ground level,” said Pauchard, speaking about how many island species had previously evolved without predators which made them “very naive”. Meanwhile, invasive plants often reportedly leave their seeds lying dormant in the soil for years. Therefore, the IPBES outlines general strategies to combat invasive species which include prevention, eradication and then, failing that, containment. However, prevention measures through border biosecurity and import controls are most effective, said the scientists. In a bid to save biodiversity, at least 190 countries have committed to placing 30 per cent of land and water under protection by 2030, in line with a global treaty hammered out in Montreal last December. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework also aims to reduce the rate at which invasive alien species spread by half by 2030. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | Alien invasive species cost global economy over $400bn per year, says UN

Invasive species the unwelcome intruders from far and wide are causing environmental chaos that's getting costlier by the decade. In a four-year assessment conducted by 86 researchers from 49 countries, the true extent of the a cause of these invasive species has been unveiled.

Climate change fuels the invasion of alien species

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), there are more than 6,500 non-indigenous species in the country&nbsp;and one more has joined the list, “super pigs” from their neighbouring country Canada. Otherwise known as wild pigs, this invasive species had already been wreaking havoc in the North American region by eating crops, spreading diseases and even killing deers.&nbsp;

What are these so-called "super pigs"?

According to a report by the Guardian, these super pigs&nbsp;are a result of cross-breeding domestic pigs with wild boars and are said to be “incredibly intelligent, highly elusive” creatures. The crossbreed was created in Canada to help pigs withstand the country’s subzero temperatures.&nbsp;

In an interview with Field and Stream, Dr Ryan Brook, who leads the University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Wild Pig Research Project, said this hybridisation in the 1980s resulted in bigger super pigs.&nbsp;

He added, the animals with larger bodies “survive the cold better and have better reproduction in those conditions.” According to Brook, in the 2000s after the market for farmed boars dropped many escaped their enclosures and now roam approximately 620,000 square miles in Canada.&nbsp;

They are “easily the worst invasive large mammal on the planet”, said Brook to the Guardian, in a separate interview. He added, “They’re incredibly intelligent. They’re highly elusive, and also when there’s any pressure on them, especially if people start hunting them, they become almost completely nocturnal”.&nbsp;

It was not until recently their population exploded in part due to their extraordinarily high reproductive rate. One of the pigs they found was said to weigh more than 300 kg, as per Brook. At the time, when these super pigs escaped their enclosures, experts thought they would not survive the Canadian winter and eventually freeze to death.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Got pigs? This is from SW Manitoba from a few days ago. Invasive wild pigs are doing extremely well with the relatively mild winter we've had so far. Some people are seeing fewer because the pigs aren't coming to feed and bait like they normally do when its -35C!. <a href="https://twitter.com/agbiousask?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@agbiousask</a> <a href="https://t.co/emtcqBnb0c">pic.twitter.com/emtcqBnb0c</a>
— Ryan Brook 🇨🇦 Chairman of the Boar 🐗🇨🇦 (@RyanKBrook) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanKBrook/status/1625594766984372243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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However, the cold was not a problem for them as they survived it by tunnelling the snow and using “their razor-sharp tusks” to cut down a plant called cattails and line the bottom of this cave as a “nice warm insulating layer,” said Brook to the Guardian. &nbsp;

The US has a swine problem

These super pigs that are poised to enter&nbsp;the US come at a time when the country is already dealing with a swine invasion of its own. This has cost the country close to $1.5 billion in damages with around six million of them in the US, as per government estimates, reported by the Guardian.&nbsp;

“The US has a 400-plus year history with invasive wild pigs, but we didn’t have any here until the early 1980s,” Brook told Field and Stream. According to the report, so far, the invasive species has largely proliferated in states like California and Texas but they have since started thriving in Canada and may soon spread to northern states like North Dakota, Montana, Michigan, and Minnesota.&nbsp;

“We see direct competition for our native species for food,” said Michael Marlow, the US Department of Agriculture official to the Guardian. He added that these pigs are “accomplished predators” with the male of the species having long tusks capable of hunting young fawns, turkeys and potentially quail.&nbsp;

Until a few decades ago, the pig’s existence was not an issue, said Marlow, but soon officials began noting an explosion in their population. He attributed this to the illegal smuggling of pigs by hunters who were “drugged and moved around, not always legally, and dropped in areas to allow the populations to develop”.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Brook told Field and Stream there is a high chance the pigs have already entered the US. “We have documented pig occurrences less than 10 miles from the US border. Quite honestly, I think there have already been some in Manitoba going into North Dakota for the last five or six years”, said the Canadian researcher. He added, there is a “real risk of pigs moving south into the US”.&nbsp;

Why is this concerning?&nbsp;

These super pigs “feed on anything. They gobble up tons and tons of goslings and ducklings in the spring. They can take down a whitetail deer, even an adult,” said Brook, as per Field and Stream. Furthermore, they create a lot of environmental damage like eating crops grown by farmers, destroying trees, and even polluting water.&nbsp;

Pigs are also said to be capable carriers of viruses such as flu, which are transmittable to humans. Similarly, Marlow said that these pose “a human health and safety risk”. There is also a risk of a potential impact of a pig-borne disease like African swine fever. In 2018 and 2019, the disease reportedly killed more than 30 per cent of the 400 million pigs in China.&nbsp; 
 
Mitigating the issue

Marlow, who is also assistant program manager for the US agriculture department’s National Feral Swine Damage Management Program said, his team has managed to eradicate pigs in seven states over the past decade, as per the Guardian. However, there is little hope to get rid of the swine completely, he added.&nbsp;

Echoing a similar sentiment, Brook told Field and Stream that there are no definitive population estimates and it is too late to get rid of these super pigs in Canada. However, they are working to mitigate the issue and one of the most effective control strategies was ground-trapping sounders (a herd of wild swine). His team uses what he called the “Judas pig” method where one pig is captured and fitted with a GPS collar and released into the wild in hope that it would lead them to a sounder.&nbsp;

“The idea is that you go and find that collared animal, remove any pigs that are with it, and in ideal world then let it go again and it will just continue to find more and more pigs,” said Brook to the Guardian. Brook also said that hunting them is not effective so the most important thing people can do is to alert authorities, reported Field and Stream.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), there are more than 6,500 non-indigenous species in the country and one more has joined the list, “super pigs” from their neighbouring country Canada.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), there are more than 6,500 non-indigenous species in the country and one more has joined the list, “super pigs” from their neighbouring country Canada. Otherwise known as wild pigs, this invasive species had already been wreaking havoc in the North American region by eating crops, spreading diseases and even killing deers. What are these so-called "super pigs"? According to a report by the Guardian, these super pigs are a result of cross-breeding domestic pigs with wild boars and are said to be “incredibly intelligent, highly elusive” creatures. The crossbreed was created in Canada to help pigs withstand the country’s subzero temperatures. In an interview with Field and Stream, Dr Ryan Brook, who leads the University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Wild Pig Research Project, said this hybridisation in the 1980s resulted in bigger super pigs. He added, the animals with larger bodies “survive the cold better and have better reproduction in those conditions.” According to Brook, in the 2000s after the market for farmed boars dropped many escaped their enclosures and now roam approximately 620,000 square miles in Canada. They are “easily the worst invasive large mammal on the planet”, said Brook to the Guardian, in a separate interview. He added, “They’re incredibly intelligent. They’re highly elusive, and also when there’s any pressure on them, especially if people start hunting them, they become almost completely nocturnal”. It was not until recently their population exploded in part due to their extraordinarily high reproductive rate. One of the pigs they found was said to weigh more than 300 kg, as per Brook. At the time, when these super pigs escaped their enclosures, experts thought they would not survive the Canadian winter and eventually freeze to death. Got pigs? This is from SW Manitoba from a few days ago. Invasive wild pigs are doing extremely well with the relatively mild winter we've had so far. Some people are seeing fewer because the pigs aren't coming to feed and bait like they normally do when its -35C!. @agbiousask pic.twitter.com/emtcqBnb0c — Ryan Brook 🇨🇦 Chairman of the Boar 🐗🇨🇦 (@RyanKBrook) February 14, 2023 × However, the cold was not a problem for them as they survived it by tunnelling the snow and using “their razor-sharp tusks” to cut down a plant called cattails and line the bottom of this cave as a “nice warm insulating layer,” said Brook to the Guardian. The US has a swine problem These super pigs that are poised to enter the US come at a time when the country is already dealing with a swine invasion of its own. This has cost the country close to $1.5 billion in damages with around six million of them in the US, as per government estimates, reported by the Guardian. “The US has a 400-plus year history with invasive wild pigs, but we didn’t have any here until the early 1980s,” Brook told Field and Stream. According to the report, so far, the invasive species has largely proliferated in states like California and Texas but they have since started thriving in Canada and may soon spread to northern states like North Dakota, Montana, Michigan, and Minnesota. “We see direct competition for our native species for food,” said Michael Marlow, the US Department of Agriculture official to the Guardian. He added that these pigs are “accomplished predators” with the male of the species having long tusks capable of hunting young fawns, turkeys and potentially quail. Until a few decades ago, the pig’s existence was not an issue, said Marlow, but soon officials began noting an explosion in their population. He attributed this to the illegal smuggling of pigs by hunters who were “drugged and moved around, not always legally, and dropped in areas to allow the populations to develop”. Meanwhile, Brook told Field and Stream there is a high chance the pigs have already entered the US. “We have documented pig occurrences less than 10 miles from the US border. Quite honestly, I think there have already been some in Manitoba going into North Dakota for the last five or six years”, said the Canadian researcher. He added, there is a “real risk of pigs moving south into the US”. Why is this concerning? These super pigs “feed on anything. They gobble up tons and tons of goslings and ducklings in the spring. They can take down a whitetail deer, even an adult,” said Brook, as per Field and Stream. Furthermore, they create a lot of environmental damage like eating crops grown by farmers, destroying trees, and even polluting water. Pigs are also said to be capable carriers of viruses such as flu, which are transmittable to humans. Similarly, Marlow said that these pose “a human health and safety risk”. There is also a risk of a potential impact of a pig-borne disease like African swine fever. In 2018 and 2019, the disease reportedly killed more than 30 per cent of the 400 million pigs in China. Mitigating the issue Marlow, who is also assistant program manager for the US agriculture department’s National Feral Swine Damage Management Program said, his team has managed to eradicate pigs in seven states over the past decade, as per the Guardian. However, there is little hope to get rid of the swine completely, he added. Echoing a similar sentiment, Brook told Field and Stream that there are no definitive population estimates and it is too late to get rid of these super pigs in Canada. However, they are working to mitigate the issue and one of the most effective control strategies was ground-trapping sounders (a herd of wild swine). His team uses what he called the “Judas pig” method where one pig is captured and fitted with a GPS collar and released into the wild in hope that it would lead them to a sounder. “The idea is that you go and find that collared animal, remove any pigs that are with it, and in ideal world then let it go again and it will just continue to find more and more pigs,” said Brook to the Guardian. Brook also said that hunting them is not effective so the most important thing people can do is to alert authorities, reported Field and Stream. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | US faces threat from invasive Canadian ‘super pigs’: All you need to know

20 goats from the green goats farm in New York traveled to the riverside park in Manhattan to munch on invasive weeds. This is a chemical free way to remove invasive species.

WION Climate Tracker: Goats munch on invasive plants, win-win for invasive species removal

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