In 1990s, Samoa released a predatory flatworm as a weapon against giant African land snails. 49 years later, the predator has outlived its original target-control mission and threatens native snails insteadThe introduction of the predatory flatworm, Platydemus manokwari, to Samoa aimed to tackle the invasive giant African snails. However, this...
21 Aug, 2026, 10.49 PM IST
In 1995, a Tasmanian fisherman found a dead carp. What followed was a four-decade operation to remove nearly 50,000 European fishA dead carp spotted in Tasmania's Lake Crescent in 1995 triggered a 28-year campaign to eradicate invasive European carp from Lake Crescent...
21 Aug, 2026, 01.48 PM IST
Burmese pythons invaded Florida’s Everglades in the 1980s; decades later, the decline in raccoon, opossum and bobcat population number is staggeringBurmese pythons, an invasive species in Florida's Everglades, have caused severe declines in native wildlife over the past several decades....
20 Aug, 2026, 05.16 PM IST
In 1914, USDA researchers imported Australian melaleuca seeds into the United States. 100 years later, the fast-growing tree had conquered 500,000 acres of South Florida after being planted to help dry the EvergladesAustralian melaleuca seeds were imported to the United States in 1914 for agricultural purposes. Later, the Army Corps of Engineers planted...
20 Aug, 2026, 01.11 AM IST
In the 1990s, a predatory flatworm was released in Samoa to control giant African snails; it later drove native island snails toward extinctionBiological control efforts introduced the New Guinea flatworm to Pacific islands. This predator began hunting native land snails, pushing t...
19 Aug, 2026, 06.58 PM IST
In 1998, over 1,000 truckloads of orange peels were dumped in a barren Costa Rica pasture, 15 years later it turned into a dense forestIn a groundbreaking initiative in Costa Rica, researchers turned orange waste into a remarkable tool for land restoration. This organic byp...
19 Aug, 2026, 03.33 PM IST
In 1500s, Spanish explorers introduced pigs into North America. Now areas where they roam free have fewer invasive speciesAlthough wild pigs have long been viewed as destructive invasive species, recent findings reveal they also play a surprising role in curbin...
18 Aug, 2026, 05.44 PM IST
In 1917, botanist Joseph Rock introduced albizia to Hawai‘i for reforestation. Now it has infested thousands of acres in O‘ahu and eastern Hawai‘i IslandIntroduced to Hawaii in 1917 as a solution for reforestation, the Albizia tree quickly established itself as an invasive species. By 2018, ...
17 Aug, 2026, 07.56 PM IST
Since 1997, Florida has released Australian insects to help control melaleuca in the Everglades; its invaded range has shrunk by nearly 75% alongside herbicide and mechanical removalIn Florida's Everglades, Australian insects played a crucial role in curbing the spread of invasive melaleuca trees. By targeting these tre...
14 Aug, 2026, 04.20 PM IST
In the 1930s, just 9 to 20 foreign ant queens apparently stowed away on a ship; their descendants now infest more than 367 million U.S. acresA few fire ant queens arriving in Mobile, Alabama, in the 1930s established a widespread infestation. These invasive insects now infest ove...
14 Aug, 2026, 03.30 PM IST
In 1955, Hawaiʻi released a predatory snail to control giant African snails; it climbed into native forests and helped wipe out rare tree snailsIn Hawaii, the introduction of the rosy wolfsnail was intended to combat a pest, but it drastically backfired. Instead of targeting its int...
14 Aug, 2026, 03.10 PM IST
The hidden owl war: An invasive owl is conquering ancient forests, putting the threatened northern spotted owl at even greater riskInvasive barred owls are occupying ancient forests vital for northern spotted owls. These aggressive competitors concentrate in the exact h...
13 Aug, 2026, 10.20 PM IST
In 1920, Washington planted 507 Norway maples along 16th Street to honor its war dead; the invasive species later spread into Rock Creek ParkIn 1920, Washington DC planted Norway maples as a tribute to World War I veterans. Initially seen as a living memorial, these trees became ...
13 Aug, 2026, 04.00 PM IST
In the early 1970s, Maui planted miconia for its spectacular purple leaves; its descendants spread across East Maui and threatened native forest watershedsIntroduced to Maui in the 1970s, Miconia calvescens, known as the velvet tree, has emerged as a significant invasive species. Its swift spr...
13 Aug, 2026, 03.50 PM IST
In the 1860s, America introduced burning bush as an ornamental; birds later helped spread it into forests across 21 invaded statesThe burning bush, native to Asia, became well-liked for its vibrant autumn hues. Birds transport its seeds, helping it escape confined land...
13 Aug, 2026, 03.40 PM IST
Around 1745, America imported mimosa for its fragrant pink flowers; it later spread into forests across the southern USMimosa, an ornamental tree brought from Asia in the mid-18th century, has thrived in the American South, but its aggressive spread poses a ...
13 Aug, 2026, 03.30 PM IST
In the early 1900s, Hawaiʻi imported a thorny European shrub to feed sheep and fence pastures; it now forms 6-foot walls that fuel fires and sprout againGorse, introduced to Hawai'i around 1900 for sheep fodder and fences, has become a persistent invasive problem. This spiny shrub thrives in...
13 Aug, 2026, 03.00 PM IST