Should Invasive Species Be Harmed?

[DJStarstryker]

Remember too that invasive species isn't just animals. I've got some land that has invasive kudzu (it's a thick ugly vine) that's annoying and a big problem. Invasive plants typically happen because somebody in the past brought it from elsewhere in the world and planted it, then the plant spread all over the place. Kudzu was brought into the southern US in the 1800s and people were told that it would prevent erosion of land. It kinda did... but then spread everywhere because we don't have much animals or insects natively that eat it and help it stay to reasonable levels.

Kudzu isn't a food to anything locally and it just takes over everything. I don't feel any issue about trying to kill it off and get rid of it from my land.

 

[22lexi]

can we get more "I like cookies'" than "yes'"?

 

[Cheryll]

I mean, if they're causing some certain degree of destruction, we should take action. Not rampaging and killing every one of them, more like find a safer and humanely way to remove (whatever option).

 

[Alienfish]

Remember too that invasive species isn't just animals. I've got some land that has invasive kudzu (it's a thick ugly vine) that's annoying and a big problem. Invasive plants typically happen because somebody in the past brought it from elsewhere in the world and planted it, then the plant spread all over the place. Kudzu was brought into the southern US in the 1800s and people were told that it would prevent erosion of land. It kinda did... but then spread everywhere because we don't have much animals or insects natively that eat it and help it stay to reasonable levels.

Kudzu isn't a food to anything locally and it just takes over everything. I don't feel any issue about trying to kill it off and get rid of it from my land.

Yes thank you. People had issues here with knotweeds and stuff and they basically had to blow up all their garden and probably got some house damage also because of the roots.

 

[LadyDestani]

Remember too that invasive species isn't just animals. I've got some land that has invasive kudzu (it's a thick ugly vine) that's annoying and a big problem. Invasive plants typically happen because somebody in the past brought it from elsewhere in the world and planted it, then the plant spread all over the place. Kudzu was brought into the southern US in the 1800s and people were told that it would prevent erosion of land. It kinda did... but then spread everywhere because we don't have much animals or insects natively that eat it and help it stay to reasonable levels.

Kudzu isn't a food to anything locally and it just takes over everything. I don't feel any issue about trying to kill it off and get rid of it from my land.

That a good point. My post was focused on the animal side of things, but plants are different. I don't see any harm in removing invasive plants by any means necessary. Once they take hold, I know some can be particularly difficult to eradicate.

 

[RedTropicalPeachyFish]

Absolutely no.
There's a song (by Radwimps) that has lyrics like this.

カラスが増えたから殺します
さらに猿が増えたから減らします
でもパンダは減ったから増やします
けど人類は増えても増やします

僕らはいつでも神様に
願って拝んでてもいつしか
そうさ 僕ら人類が神様に
気付いたらなってたの 何様なのさ

It translates like this :

Gotta kill crows since they're breeding a lot
And 'cause monkeys increased let's eliminate some
But pandas are going less, gotta make them breed
Let's make the human breed more regardless of number

We always wished upon Lord
Regardless if we wish or pray
Yes now we are the God
while we didn't even realize Who the hell are you, you human?

I mean, if they're causing some certain degree of destruction, we should take action. Not rampaging and killing every one of them, more like find a safer and humanely way to remove (whatever option).

Unfortunately these things don't go like that. All is up to budget, in reality sadly.
And even if there was a way to "remove" humanly, taking lives away or taking the places/the ways they've been living on away would never be humane. What would you guys feel if some aliens or something took away the life of your family without pain and said "we did it in humane way"?
If a species disappeared by being invaded by other species, that's their fate. Even if it breaks the chain or balance of environment. And we are just one of temporary members of this planet. That's how I think about this.

 

[BlueFlameAngel]

So I'm almost finished my Zoology degree and I was studying invasive species before my university was shut down due to coronavirus. It's a really interesting topic! However, we can't just say 'let nature be nature' in the context of invasive species because that mindset imo is problematic and reflects laziness (maybe not always intentionally) rather than wanting to preserve our ecosystems.

It's very, very rare nowadays that a habitat and its native species adapt and overcome the problems caused by invasive species. The rate at which invasive species are coming into our ecosystems is just too high. Sure, centuries ago that happened -- in Ireland for example, foxes and rabbits have been around so long now that they've adapted to our ecosystems and are pretty much considered native to the island even though they weren't here before the Ice Age. Back then, invasions of new species occurred at a rate of about 1 per century or more. Now, the rate is 100s per 50 years. That's way too high for any environment to ever adapt and avoid total destruction in the worst cases. I would not call that fate -- these high numbers are because of us!

I don't think we should harm invasive species (here I'm referring to animals) if there's a reasonable way to relocate or remove them without causing harm or killing them. But if there isn't, we still owe it to our natural ecosystems to remove these invasive species because otherwise there will be massive consequences for our native species. It's really very rare that an invasive species has no negative effects on the natives. Sometimes it just takes a few years for the effects to become clear and by then it can be way more difficult to fix the situation.

 

[Alienfish]

I do agree with most animal views, though since they can probably be more humane treated as in relocation and stuff, but considering how fast some plants spread and they basically multiply unless you do it the right way people need to see the difference between apples and oranges and not let some really harmful plants spread out of control just because they are living organisms and they actually need human help to get removed since they are invading an otherwise harmless flora ;3 As absurd as it sounds plants are not equal to one another nor to animals.

 

[dragonpisces69]

In my apartment block, there are tons of silverfish, and they're kinda like cold sores imo: once you have them, they're extremely difficult to completely get rid of.
Me, I somewhat have them under control now thanks to (especially starchy) foods being stored properly, some silverfish traps being placed at spots where they may come often, and me trying to vacuum the room at least thrice a week.
But yeah, I don't even mind if someone else harms those silverfish if they appear randomly, since I harm them too, especially if they're on the floor and when I'm wearing shoes at the same time.

 

[d3_3p]

Well, humans are invasive species, so...

 

[Alienfish]

Well, humans are invasive species, so...

Well it's different.

Also yeah silver fishes is absolutely disgusting and any harmful animal species needs to be dealt with professionally like these.

 

[Dinosaurz]

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

Hell yes!! Plant lives matter

 

[Alienfish]

Hell yes!! Plant lives matter

lol enjoy and go with them then.. but yea seriously it really doesn't and it harms basically anything in the way so yeah, esp knotweeds

 

[pumpkinpuppy]

No. Never. No questions. A living creature is a living creature, end of.