Unloved animals

Non-native species often lack predators in their new environments. If their numbers skyrocket, they threaten local species. The Australian possum, which was brought to New Zealand to establish a fur trade, has turned into a pest in its new home country.There are now 30 million possums in New Zealand, who feed on local land snails, bird chicks and eggs.

Amongst the victims of possums in New Zealand is the iconic kiwi. The flightless bird is so closely tied to the national psyche that human inhabitants of New Zealand often refer to themselves as 'Kiwis'. To save the native wildlife, the 'Kiwi' government recently announced an ambitious plan to eradicate all possums, stoats and rats by 2050.

Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific, but now spread along the US coast, Caribbean and parts of Mexico, where they threaten native species. Their spines are venomous and can even harm humans. The easiest solution to the problem: catch them and eat them! Their taste is similar to that of snapper and grouper. Delicious!

It’s definitely one of the scariest invasive species on the planet: Nile crocodiles have been found in Florida, thousands of kilometers from their original habitat. The giant predators eat everything from small hippos to humans, so the new visitor can’t count on a warm welcome.

The Varroa mite is the world's most devastating pest for Western honey bees. Originally it was only present in Asia, but it has now spread across most of the world. It particularly affects bees outside of its home region, as they lack a certain defense mechanism. By killing bees, Varroa mite damage entire ecosystems that depend on pollination.

They are much loved by children, but hated by many farmers: European rabbits, originally native to Southwestern Europe. Settlers took the quick-breeding animals to Australia as a source of food. There, they don’t have any natural enemies and spread quickly. They contribute to the decline of endemic species like wombats and wallabies, and considerably impact Australian agriculture.

This little fellow recently made headline: The tiger mosquito, native to Southeast Asia, is responsible for the quick spread of the Zika Virus in Latin America during the last months, which is said to be responsible for severe health damages to unborn babies. Due to climate change, the asian tiger mosquito is feared to also make itself at home in central Europe.

Raccoons from North America were introduced into Europe in the 1920s to be bred for their pelts. But after a bomb hit a German raccoon farm during World War II, raccoons escaped and began to breed in the wild. Over the past decades, their population size has rocketed. Some fear raccoons in case they transmit rabies to humans. But others argue we should just get used to these furry companions.

Should we try to eradicate all invasive species or accept them as part of the planet's ever-changing nature? That’s often a subject of heated debate. And one interesting argument often emerges: the mammal that has made itself at home in all corners of the world and wiped out more native flora and fauna than any other species, is man.