Suddenly he turned up near the Biesbosch in Brabant: the naked-neck goby. A fish that originally only occurs in the Black and Caspian Sea in southeastern Europe, but made quite a journey and has now been spotted in our country. And the exotic animal is not harmless, as it poses a threat to other native fish. There are more ‘invasive threats’ that have moved into our province. An overview.
Japanese Knotweed
This exotic weed plant emerges from July to September and grows quickly and vigorously. Its strong rhizomes and stems cause damage to structures. Sidewalks, foundations and even asphalt are not safe, not to mention the verges and waterfronts. It is almost impossible to eradicate the plant. According to forest ranger Frans Kapteijns, Japanese knotweed displaces other plant species, resulting in monotonous nature without variety.
American crayfish
“They walk all over Brabant, with the scissors in front.” That’s what makes this aggressive lobster species so annoying, says the forester. “Then they walk from puddle to puddle and kill everything there too,” he says. The lobsters were first seen here in 1985. They have hardly any natural enemies and can therefore multiply at lightning speed.
Giant hogweed
The giant hogweed, a huge plant that can reach five meters in height, is also a huge proliferation. It not only threatens other plant species, but is also dangerous for humans. The juice can cause severe burns. Even with light touch you can get burn blisters. “You can even go blind if you get the juice of this plant in your eyes,” Frans warns. The hogweed grows mainly along the waterfront, roads and railways.
Sunfish
The sunfish sows death and destruction. “They eat all the eggs and larvae of insects, fish and amphibians,” says Frans. This species also has almost no natural enemies here. Propagating is therefore a piece of cake. “She only likes the pike, but they don’t swim everywhere.”
For holidaymakers, the forester has another message for holidaymakers: “Let plants that do not grow here look beautiful there. And that also applies to animals that do not occur here.”
READ ALSO: New exotic fish species in Biesbosch: threat to native fish