Kangaroo Jacked

In an odd article from The Capital Times, a reporter tells the story of an escaped kangaroo...and some feral hogs, and a hippopotamus to boot. What makes the report interesting is the information about just how easy it is to buy your very own red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) in the U.S. Which is maybe not such a big deal in Wisconsin, where the escaped critter was found, but could this be an issue in some of our more southern states?

News Flash: Invasive Fish NOT "Wreaking Havoc"...

Interesting piece in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about the fact that the walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) hasn't lived up to the hype. The fish, whose ability to breath air and walk on land is reminescent of the infamous snakehead, was first found in Florida in the 1960s. Populations boomed over the next decade but then declined over the following 20 years. Scientists are not happy about the presence of this species but note that a negative impact on the environment has yet to be identified. Bonus points to the Sun-Sentinel for using the fish's scientific name and for posting a photo of dead walking catfish preserved in a jar.

Thanks to ANS News for posting a blurb about this story.

That Stinks

Hey Oregonians - next time someone accuses you of delivering an "unpleasant odor" to the room, no need to blame it on the dog. Instead, tell your accuser it must be an infestation of brown marmorated stink bugs. Seems the smelly insects showed up in Oregon last summer, and bend.com is reporting that the state Department of Agriculture has issued an alert (.pdf) so that all residents will be on the lookout (smellout?). The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys), which has only been known in the U.S. for a few years, is one of those pesky home invaders that will sneak into your house by the hundreds looking for a winter hideout.

Phish Pheremones

Sea Grant's News page has this article about a scientist who has found a chemical attractant that works against the Eurasian ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus), an invasive fish in the Great Lakes region. The chemical, known as 20-beta-S, is released by female ruffes, and causes males to arrive from great distances and basically act like teenagers with spring fever :-). Such an attractant, if mass-produced, holds great potential as a way of managing and perhaps eradicating invasive populations. Dr. Peter Sorenson, a biologist at the University of Minnesota, headed up the team that discovered the chemical, and is hoping to find similar compounds for other fish invaders.

Enter The Rat King

USA Today, among others, is reporting that Gambian pouch rats (Cricetomys gambianus) have invaded the Florida Keys. A Florida scientist proudly (kidding) noted that this is the first documented naturalized population of these oversized rodents in the U.S. The ISW first reported on the pouch rats, as vectors of monkeypox, back in June 2003.

Update: Those aren't invasive species, those are land mine detectors! Maybe this will be a boon for the U.S. after all :-).

Squash and Sniff

Officials in Christchurch, New Zealand have gotten such a good response to warning about Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), they're a bit overwhelmed. The majority of the calls have led investigators to relatively harmless native species. Scoop is reporting that, in an attempt to reduce the number of false alarms, they have empowered residents with an identification test: squash an ant or two and sniff the air. The native Darwin's ants (Doleromyrma darwiana) give off a pungent odor, while Argentine ants are unscented. Somehow I can't see them doing the same type of kill test to say, identify invasive birds or other charismatic megafauna.

Thanks to Val C. for sending in the link to this story.

Pompous Grass?

What would California do without all that invasive pampas grass (Cortaderia spp.)? Surely the Tournament of Roses Parade would suffer, without the key ingredient in making authentic-looking animal fur? :-) Parade hosts noted that some of the plants used in decorating are gathered locally.