INVADERS: Species and territories in conflict
Invaders, species and territories in dispute is a series that narrates the current situation experienced by six territories of our country affected by invasive species and facing the dilemma of how to confront this threat. In this way, the series tries to confirm that the greatest challenge facing humanity is the preservation of the biosphere, the recovery and maintenance of the ecosystems that compose it: our species and their territories.
In the first chapter, discover the mysterious mink. Its attacks, once attributed to the legendary “chupacabra”, hide a fascinating story.
Introduced in Punta Arenas, Chile, in 1934 for the fur industry, this animal was released and spread in the wild after its exploitation ceased in 1970.
We present to you the second invasive species in our series “Invaders”: free-living dogs, those that live in the wild or in freedom, without direct supervision by humans.
In Chile, free-living dogs affect wildlife, biodiversity and the livestock industry, by competing for food resources and preying on native species and livestock. To control their population and protect the environment, various strategies are proposed, such as sterilization, adoption campaigns, feeding control by cleaning garbage dumps and landfills, and implementing regulations for feeding stray animals. In addition, education about the problems they cause and the importance of responsible ownership is crucial to improve the situation.
We present to you the espinillo, the new invasive creature that we will talk about this week, which by the way is a plant!
Present from the Valparaíso Region to the Los Lagos Region with its remarkable yellow color, it prevents any type of cultivation.
The bumblebee, despite being formally introduced to help in the pollination of certain fruit trees, is considered a pest insect outside of these crops due to its high reproduction rate, its ability to adapt to diverse environments and the high prevalence of diseases in individuals raised commercially in crowded conditions.
Lodgepole pine, native to North America, has become an invasive species in Chile. It was introduced for ornamental purposes, to control erosion and for productive purposes. However, in Chile, its performance has been lower than expected, and many of the original plantations now lack proper management.
New and final chapter in Invaders! We introduce you to a new invasive species: the beaver
Why is the beaver an invasive species? After humans introduced it for the fur industry, in the areas it colonizes, it reduces the forest canopy cover up to 30 meters from the edge of the river, eliminating the riparian forest. It has modified nearly 30,000 hectares of forests, peatlands and other ecosystems. In Tierra del Fuego, Chile, more than half of the lenga forests associated with waterways have been damaged by this species.