5 of the most invasive animal species on the planet

Invasive species are a danger to ecosystems all over the world

Photo collage of spotted lanternflies, a python, and a feral cat.
Invasive species can threaten the biodiversity of a region
(Image credit: Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images)

An invasive species is an organism that is "non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration," and whose introduction "causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health," said the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The species can be introduced to a new area through "ship ballast water, firewood, accidental release, and by people."

Invasive species can cause a great deal of harm to an ecosystem, even causing the extinction of native species. They also tend to grow in population rapidly as the non-native environment doesn't have natural predators to manage numbers.

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Devika Rao, The Week US

 Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.