Ecobreves – BRAZIL: War on Invasive Species

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 10 2005 (IPS) - Of the 204 exotic land species recorded to date in Brazil, 130 have become invasive, spreading rapidly because they had no predators, and destroying the local biodiversity. The diagnosis was presented by the Brazilian Horus Institute and the international Nature Conservancy at the first Brazilian Symposium of Invasive Exotic Species, a gathering of 500 experts in Brasilia, Oct. 4-7.

The golden mussel, of Asian origin, which has already invaded many of Brazil's watersheds, the giant snail and molasses grass from Africa, a European hare, wild boar and pines are some of the invaders that cause most harm to the environment and agriculture in Brazil.

The symposium aims to contribute to a national program to fight these pests, said Paulo Kageyama, director of biodiversity conservation at the Ministry of Environment.