INVASIVE SPECIES
INVESTIGATOR!
WHAT IS A NATIVE SPECIES?
Every kind of animal, plant, or microorganism has a home where it has existed
for thousands of years; it is a native of this
home range…a native species.
NATIVES AND THEIR HOMES
Llama, South America
Kangaroos,
Australia
Giraffes, Africa
Panda bear,
Asia
Emperor dragonfly,
Europe
Bald eagle,
North America
Penguins,
Antarctica
WHAT IS AN EXOTIC OR
ALIEN SPECIES?
A species that isn’t native to an area – it
came from somewhere else.
Not all exotic species are harmful…
they can be beneficial…
and beautiful!
But when an exotic species outcompetes a native species for
resources such as food, water
and sunlight, and rapidly
grows out of control, it
becomes invasive.
WHAT IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES?
Species introduced deliberately or unintentionally
outside their natural habitats where they can
establish themselves, invade, out-compete
natives, and take over their new environments.
In other words, invasive
species move in and
take over!
Invasive species can be plants…
Tree of heaven
Purple
loosestrife
Garlic mustard
Hydrila
Water
hyacinth
Kudzu
Animals…
Zebra mussels
European
starling
Emerald ash borer
Asian long
horn beetle
Bullfrog
Giant African land snail
Or pathogens.
Elm bark beetle
West Nile virus
Dutch Elm disease
Culex mosquito
WHY ARE INVASIVE
SPECIES A BAD THING?
THEY HAVE NO NATURAL ENEMIES IN PLACE TO
LIMIT POPULATION GROWTH.
THEY STEAL RESOURCES LIKE FOOD AND WATER
FROM NATIVE SPECIES.
THEY THREATEN THE HEALTH OF AGRICULTURE
AND FORESTS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE.
THEY THREATEN THE HEALTH OF HUMANS.