For approximately 20 years, a team of scientists has been struggling to nurse communities of endangered northern leopard frogs in Kootenay region, in British Columbia, in Canada. However, other non-native species such as bullfrogs and other species of fish are slowing down the researchers’ job. Even worse, the same situation is prevalent across Canada and the United States, as well, as invasive species harm the environment.
A small mammal and herpetofauna specialist at British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment, Purnimia Govindarajulu, stated that invasive fish species aren’t letting endangered frogs thrive in wetlands of Creston. Furthermore, bullfrog eggs were found at a lake just 15 kilometers away, and the researcher said that scientists across Canada and the US should prepare for tackle the spread of the voracious frog species.
“We call it the ‘American bullfrog action team,’ the defenders of the northern leopard frog,” said Purnimia Govindarajulu.
Invasive Species Harm The Environment Across Canada
Even though bullfrogs are originating from several parts of Central and Eastern Canada, while in some regions this frog species is already on the brink of extinction, bullfrogs have now spread across southern British Columbia and devour other species of frogs, fish, turtles, snakes, small birds, and even salamanders.
According to the experts, invasive species, such as bullfrogs, harm the environment across Canada, causing lots of damage to native species and costing Canadian billions of dollars, mainly spent on preservation techniques to protect the endangered species. As Gail Wallin, the executive director of the Canadian Council on Invasive Species, said, many Canadian native species are threatened by invasive species, a situation that’s also affecting the United States and other countries around the world.
“So not only do invasive species take over our natural environment, they actually threaten species at risk. They have a major environmental impact,” the researcher said, referring to some common invasive species in Canada, such as giant hogweed, zebra mussels, and knotweed which can overwhelm entire ecosystems.
Vadim is a passionate writer on various topics but especially on stuff related to health, technology, and science. Therefore, for Great Lakes Ledger, Vadim will cover health and Sci&Tech news.