Eel Effects: Fears after Release of Exotic Species into New York City Lake
upstart writes in with an IRC submission for nutherguy:
Eel effects: fears after release of exotic species into New York lake:
New York state and city wildlife officials say it is too soon to know what effect a dump of exotic eels into a lake in a park in Brooklyn last month will have on local species - but it could become a major problem.
[...] The illegal release became a curiosity on social media, but the dumping of exotic animals in urban parks is nothing new. Across the US, non-native birds, turtles, fish and lizards have settled into, and often disturbed, local ecosystems. New Yorkers free thousands of non-native animals every year. Many abandoned pets quickly die but others can survive, reproduce and cause lasting harm.
Based on photos taken by bystanders, officials identified the eels in Prospect Park as swamp eels native to south-east Asia, which have been found in at least eight US states. Once introduced, often after being purchased at live fish markets, the eels eat almost anything including plants, insects, crustaceans, frogs, turtles and other fish. In Brooklyn, they could prey upon or compete with the park's native species for however long they survive, said Katrina Toal, deputy director of the New York City parks department's wildlife unit.
But there are no plans to eradicate the eels, which are nocturnal and spend most of their time burrowed in the sediment of lakes, rivers and marshes.
"This kind of species is a little tricky. They're well hidden," Toal said. "We're not going to go out there and try to trap any of them."
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