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21 May The Threat Of The Snakehead To Native FishPosted by: admin | Under: Uncategorized Creeping over dry land or wallowing through mud to find a new feeding ground, the snakehead fish overruns and ruins local ecosystems. Although prized in Asia and Africa, the snakehead will not find a warm welcome anywhere else. Its introduction to foreign waters has jarred the fragile balance of aquatic ecosystems, disrupting food chains and draining resources for native fish. This eel-like species has very few natural predators and is free to multiply without natural checks on its population. Meanwhile, snakeheads indirectly deplete populations of other fish species by spreading disease, namely, epizootic ulcerative syndrome, a disease that debilitates native fish species. Snakeheads compete with and prey on native fish species for nourishment. Armed with insatiable appetites, treacherous teeth and an aggressive nature, snakehead fish can clear a large body of water of many of its fish species. Able to travel over land for days at a time, the snakehead propels itself into another body of water to continue its devastation. To compound the threat these invasive fish have on the local ecosystem, the snakehead reproduces with unimaginable efficiency. Each spawning produces thousands of offspring that grow at an absurd pace. Local governments have adopted several methods of keeping the snakehead population to a minimum, including disposing of the fish, banning the keeping of snakeheads in residences and prohibiting snakehead importation or transportation. |
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