Subject: [Tweeters] some invasive species are anything but benign
Date: Nov 30 16:18:23 2007
From: Dennis Paulson - dennispaulson at comcast.net


I just wrote about the benign nature of some of our invasive species
of animals, but here are two that are anything but benign:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071127/ap_on_sc/rat_island

Norway Rats and Black Rats probably fit readily into the Eurasian
ecosystems where they are native, but by becoming human commensals,
they have spread worldwide, including places where the native fauna
and/or flora has no defenses against them. Seabird islands are the
best examples.

IMHO, if we wish to be enlightened stewards of Mother Earth, species
such as these, which clearly do so much harm to native biota as well
as human interests (e.g., carrying bubonic plague and wiping out
grain stores), should be vigorously eradicated everywhere they do
real harm. In places like Seattle, we are probably at some sort of
equilibrium with them, and I don't think there is any way we can
exterminate them.
-----
Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382
dennispaulson at comcast.net



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