What Are Invasive Species?
Invasive species are plants, animals, or other organisms that live in water or on land that are found in an area that they are not from. They can be from an area very far away (nonnative), such as another continent, country, or state, or from an area close by (native), such as another county, city, or neighboring habitat. They are usually brought to the new area by someone or something, either accidentally or on purpose. Once introduced to a new environment, they spread so quickly that they harm other wildlife by using up their resources, such as food, water, and habitat, that they need to survive. Since they are new to the area, they don't often have natural predators, which allows them to spread at alarming rates.
Types of Invasive Species
Photo: Feral hog (Sus scorfa). Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission , Bugwood.org
Photo: Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix). Credit: Nate Tessler, EnviroScience, Inc., Bugwood.org