Invasive species are often threatened in their native ranges

Many species that are considered invasive in areas where they’ve been introduced may actually be threatened with extinction in their home ranges.

A new study published in Conservation Letters explores this conservation paradox, asking whether or not nonnative species that are endangered in their native range should be protected or controlled.

“We were interested in finding out how many of these species are threatened even in their native range,” said Lisa Tedeschi, the lead author of this study, in a press release.

Of the 230 nonnative mammals that have been introduced to new areas throughout the world, researchers found that 36 of them are threatened in their native ranges.

“We were very surprised by this high number, as we assumed that invasive species are also common in their area of origin,” Tedeschi said.

This article was first published by The Wildlife Society on 13 December 2024. Lead Image: The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is endangered in its native range, but in other parts of the world where it has been introduced, including Australia, it has large populations. Credit: Alexis Lours.

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