Should Invasive Species Be Harmed?

[Blood Eclipse]

An invasive species is any living organism not formerly native to its current habitat - usually intruduced via human involvement, but can also emerge from natural causes. One example of this is the mallard duck, which in most areas are considered to be invasive and threaten the lives of other ducks and animals. (For a cuter ◕ω◕ example, I'll list the grey squirrel. In most cases, the grey squirrel out-competes the red squirrel, reducing their numbers by a decent amount each year.) Some locals take it upon themselves to eradicate said intruders, while others protest against it claiming it's animal abuse.

There's no denying that invasive species have a negative effect on their surrounding environment - often times leading to mass extinction of other wildlife, but in other cases they may serve to be beneficial and, over time, they're able to naturally integrate to their new system, as other species manage adapt and evolve in midst their presence.

That being said, I'm still unsure of how to feel about invasive species. On one hand they're responsible for the endangerment of other species, but at the same time, who heck am I to interfere? Just by being alive, I'm already responsible for some degree of environmental damage and I wouldn't be able bring myself to voluntarily kill one species to help another, anyhow. Yet by not doing anything, aren't I still responsible for another specie's death? If I claim to care about the environment, is sitting back an letting nature take its own course the right thing to do because I wasn't personally responsible for their introduction to a foreign area? (maybe).

 

[allainah]

I'm not sure how much of it's our responsibility to stop them from endangering other species but,
if they are invading/harming us then yeah i think we have a right to hurt them. that's life. If something's threatening any other animal do you think they go "awww.... but that's animal abuse i can't hurt them" big noPE.

 

[Nooblord]

Invasive species can destroy entire ecosystems, it’s our duty to prevent something like that from happening. Even though we may be the cause of the invasiveness, in some cases.

 

[Midoriya]

Yeah, I agree with allainah. I’m not sure as to whether or not it’s our responsibility, but we do owe it to ourselves not to let them harm us. The circle of life can be cruel at times.

Also, just came here to say that I like cookies.

 

[Xara]

as already mentioned, it’s likely not our responsibility and should be left to those who know how to deal with those types of situations properly, but when an invasive species is beginning to have a negative impact and there’s no way around it, then i guess harming is the only way to go.

i remember a couple months back, i came across this guy whose main hobby is finding shrimp (i think that’s what they were, can’t remember lol) that had parasites attached to them and he would gently remove the parasites and then chuck them into a compost bin - the situation didn’t harm the shrimp nor the parasite which goes to show that sometimes removing an invasive species can be harmless, but that situation was more of a controlled one and likely wouldn’t work for situations with higher amounts of invasion (or creatures bigger than a shrimp and a parasite lmao)

 

[sleepydreepy]

A lot of invasive species today are a result of humans pushing them into the wrong environment. For example, in Florida people have "released" exotic pets into the wild when they no longer want them, such as the Burmese python. These animals will then wreak havoc to the unsuspecting everglades ecosystems, upsetting the balance/homeostasis (which could lead to ecosystem death). Another example is the migration of some species due to climate change and pollution caused by humans. Under these circumstances I believe it is our duty as humans to help reset the natural structure of these ecosystems we have harmed, in order to preserve the longevity and health of our ecosystem/planet.

 

[LadyDestani]

I will never be in favor of harming any living animal, even to save others. I completely understand the harm that an invasive species can cause, but I believe there must be a way to remove them from the environment without hurting them. That should always be the goal, in my opinion, to save as many animals as possible and relocate the invasive species.

 

[michealsmells]

I think that it's extremely important that us as humans work to preserve native wildlife and plant life, even if that means driving away or killing invasive species to the area. It's really sad and a shame that we would have to, but most of the time, we humans are the one who caused it to begin with. It's also that, we destroy enough on our own. I just think we need to take efforts to try and slow that destruction down.

One invasive species that always comes to mind is the house cat. A lot of people let their cats be outdoor cats which is incredibly dangerous not only for the cat themselves, but people, and especially native wildlife. Bird populations are rapidly declining due to outdoor cats and people turn their nose up at it due to them being "where they belong in the wild". Suburban, urban, and rural birds don't live with natural predators that aren't other birds, but the amount of feral/outdoor cats being on the rise is causing them to deal with more and more hunting, without them having the time to learn and pass on ways to evade and hide from them. And house cats themselves are not built for living outdoors, just due to how we've bred them over the years. It's good enrichment to take them outside, but only in an controlled environment or on a harness.

I've also heard there's an issue with invasive species in Australia and Hawaii (though admittedly, I don't know nearly as much about those), which are remote parts of the world filled with rich, expansive, and unique wildlife. They need to be protected for the sake of the entire ecosystems.

 

[Hopeless Opus]

i don't condone harming the animals that are considered invasive. relocation, maybe, would be the best option on how to handle these situations. something should be done about invasive species that are taking over due to humans, for example (as previously mentioned), the burmese pythons in florida. as for natural occurrences of invasive species, i'm not sure if we should intervene, because i feel like that's just nature and a change taking place. i'm sure it has happened many times over the past thousands of years.

 

[R. Planet]

Invasive species can destroy entire ecosystems, it?s our duty to prevent something like that from happening. Even though we may be the cause of the invasiveness, in some cases.

I feel like it's those cases, in which man is reponsible, that we owe the enviroment the debt of trying to stop the problem that we, ultimately, caused.

Which, when we look at most of those cases, it is usually our fault in some way.

 

[Corrie]

If they come in and begin hurting other species then yeah, I think we ought to do something.

 

[Bcat]

Yes. But humanely

 

[Alienfish]

Yes, especially if it's plants and such stuff. As for animals, keep an eye on them and get rid of them if necessary.

 

[Kaiaa]

It really depends. Many plants and animals adapt after a period of time, although in the beginning it’s a little harder. If the invasive species is causing a significant portion of the local flora/fauna to die then they should be controlled. Completely eradicate? No, but give your local flora/fauna a fighting chance with preventative measures.

 

[Alienfish]

It really depends. Many plants and animals adapt after a period of time, although in the beginning it’s a little harder. If the invasive species is causing a significant portion of the local flora/fauna to die then they should be controlled. Completely eradicate? No, but give your local flora/fauna a fighting chance with preventative measures.

Guess you guys don't have issues with giant hogweed or Japanese/Asian knotweed

 

[Khaelis]

Unfortunately, as much as I am against harming animals.. it is sometimes a necessary evil we must commit to protect the ecosystems we absolutely need to live.

 

[sierra]

We are invasive species tho

 

[Imbri]

Just because we're capable of doing something, it doesn't mean we should. Saying it isn't our responsibility (when the majority of the time, it is) is ridiculous. Saying something should be done of it threatens people is arrogant. Either stick to the idea that anything not "native" should be wiped out (and how far back do you go to determine that?), or realize that humans cause a lot of the problem and find a solution that doesn't potentially drive a species to extinction.

 

[Dinosaurz]

no animals have just as much right to the planet ****ing humans ruining the world!

- - - Post Merge - - -

“Invasive” just let nature be nature

 

[Alienfish]

no animals have just as much right to the planet ****ing humans ruining the world!

- - - Post Merge - - -

“Invasive” just let nature be nature

If you want to blow up most of your garden area and your house because knotweeds sure.