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Giant Lizards and Pythons? No. But Maryland not immune to invasive species
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Recently The Daily Show’s host Jon Stewart reported that giant Burmese pythons had been multiplying in areas of Southern Florida. “So this is how it ends?” Stewart declared as he offered kudos to those who had predicted that the Apocalypse* would come by giant, carnivorous snakes. Florida now has a Python Patrol to help capture some of these serpentine fugitives.
As if snakes were not bad enough, predatory Nile monitor lizards, growing up to seven feet in length, have also been found in Florida. These creatures are notoriously ill-tempered and capable of eating a pet—or worse.
These stories are disturbing for sure, and not just for the freakiness factor. These species threaten native wildlife as well as people. I certainly won’t be taking any camping trips to South Florida anytime soon. [Not like I had been planning to in the first place, but still.]
Maryland is not immune to invasive critters. Invasive species arrive in the wilds as abandoned pets. They can be carried by the hulls of cargo ships. In the case of plants or insects, they may be blown in on the breeze. There are many ways they can make their way into our native populations.
Organizations such as the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the USDA keep track of invasive species. Another group, the Maryland Invasive Species Council (MISC), established in April 2000, is a non-governmental organization of “concerned scientists, land managers, business people and citizens acting to reduce the spread of invasive plants, animals and diseases.”
According to MISC, here are some of Maryland's top invaders, in no particular order:
- Zebra mussels clog waterways and cut boat bottoms.
- Didymo algae, also known as “rock snot” for the way it looks as it covers the stones in stream beds, can clog water ways, smother native vegetation and make a trip to cross a stream on foot slippery and treacherous.
- Rusty Crayfish feed on fish eggs and destroy the native aquaculture.
- Grass Carp eat submerged aquatic vegetation so important to the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
- Northern Snakehead, among the most infamous of Maryland’s invasive, prey on native fish.
- Hemlock Wooly Aldegid, an aphid, attacks hemlock trees.
- Asian Long-horned Beetle, a wood-boring tree beetle native to China, can destroy many tree species.
- Canada Goose, an aggressive avian invader, destroys shoreline vegetation. (They also produce the most annoying “hink-a-honking,” hissing and barking sounds!)
- Plum pox is a virus that infects, disfigures and ultimately kills fruit bearing trees.
- Giant Hogweed, a perennial that can grow up to 15 ft. tall, has sap that can cause temporary or permanent blindness!
This is just a random sample of the species on the MISC list. MISC recommends that Marylander’s learn to identify, avoid, remove and report these species when they encounter them. For more details on exactly what you can do, refer to links in the info box below.
Do you have an idea for a science related news story? Please send your ideas to BaltimoreScienceExaminer(at)gmail(dot)com.
* For more “tips” on surviving the Apocalypse, click here. The Examiner realy does have an examiner for practically everything.
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