Economic Damage of Invasive Species Across the Globe Amounts to $16.3 Billion: Bullfrog and Snake the Worst Offenders

Tallying the economic damages caused by invasive species worldwide, scientists found two species are responsible for generating the most harm. According to a recent study, the American bullfrog and brown tree snake have been wreaking havoc since 1986.

Bullfrog and Snake: Most Harmful Invasive Species

(Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - MAY 27: A bullfrog is seen on the course during the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club on May 27, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas.

In addition to ecological harm, the invasive pair of the American bullfrog and brown tree snake has ruined farm crops and triggered power outages.

Researchers are hopeful that the recent findings will encourage investments to help block invasive species in the near future.

According to the study published in the journal Scientific Reports, titled "Global economic costs of herpetofauna invasions." experts held the invasive pair single-handedly responsible for more than $10 billion of damages uncontrollably spreading across a number of Pacific islands.

In Guam, where US marines accidentally introduced the bullfrog and snake in the last century, the snake population today causes massive power cuts because they slither on electrical wires causing expensive damage. Moreover, experts estimate that roughly two million brown tree snakes dwell in the tiny Pacific island, with calculations suggesting as many as 20 snakes per acre of the jungles of Guam.

Experts believe that island ecosystems are the most vulnerable to invasive species; where they pose a significant threat of extinction to native fauna and flora.

Meanwhile, in Europe, expanding American bullfrog populations have needed ambitious and costly management techniques. To prevent the spread of the bullfrogs, which can grow up to as much as 12 inches in length and weigh half a kilo, officials have been forced to install frog-proof fencing around known breeding sites.

Fencing off five ponds to prevent the frogs from escaping costs German officials roughly €270,000, reports BBCNews. The amphibians are said to consume nearly anything, including other species of bullfrogs.

Another amphibian species, the common coqui frog, has been blamed for causing major economic damage. Its extremely loud mating songs are believed to trigger a decline in property values in the areas they've infested.

The study's authors are hopeful that the published findings will encourage numerous officials to invest in pest control and biosecurity measures in the future.

ALSO READ: 19-Foot Crocodile Swallows 45-Year-Old Woman in Indonesia; Whole Body Found Inside Reptile's Stomach

Invasion of Amphibious Species

Invasive species, according to National Geographic, are species that are not indigenous to an area. Invasive species, whether plant or animal, can cause economic and environmental harm to new places.

On the other hand, not all non-native species are classified as invasive; some popular food crops in the US are non-native varieties. For a species to be considered invasive, it must be able to adapt quickly to its new environment, reproduce quickly, and cause harm to native plants, animals, economy, and property in the region.

Many invasive species thrive in their new areas because they outcompete local species for food. Often, these species thrive because there are no natural predators in the area that hunt them. The brown tree snakes introduced in the late 1940s or early 150s in Guam have no natural predators, and they housed a number of birds and rodents that the snakes hunt, which resulted in their rapid reproduction.