The Alien Invasions: Invasive Species in Trinidad and Tobago


What are Invasive Species?

In Trinidad and Tobago, we are fortunate to have vast biodiversity, ranging from South America and the Windward Caribbean. According to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, we have 172 invasive species with over 100 of them being plants, but these are only the documented ones. There are many more that probably have not been identified yet. What exactly is an invasive species?

An invasive species, as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2021), “is an organism that causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native”. These species consist of flora and fauna that would have been brought into our country from foreign regions.

Figure 1: showing an invasion of Giant African Snails (FAO 2021)

How do foreign species get into Trinidad and Tobago?

In many cases of species invasion, the flora and fauna are accidentally introduced into the wild. Many years ago, before airport regulations became very strict, many travelers would bring in fruits and plants from other countries for personal use. These fruits and plants could spread their seeds and act as a vector to transport small animals and insects all around the world. Another way that invasive species are introduced into the wild is via imported, exotic pets. Sometimes the pet owners can no longer contain or care for these non-native species and decide that the best option is to release them into the wild. This can result in reproduction if multiple individuals of the same species are released and therefore the development of a healthy, thriving population. This is bad news for our local species. Since these invasive species are unfamiliar with the environment, they would feed on anything possible which could lead to the extinction of our native flora and fauna.

Figure 2: showing an insect on a fruit (Gardening Know How 2021)

What are some of the common invasive species in Trinidad and Tobago?

We have all heard about the invasion of Pterois also called lionfish, Achatina fulica better known as the giant African snail, and Oreochromis niloticus better known as the sliver tilapia, but there are more common species that are invasive that you may not have known about before. For example, Amaranthus dubius also known as Bhagi, Eryngium foetidum also known as Shadon Benny (now used in cultivation), and Bambusavulgaris also known as Bamboo. This goes to show how some invasive species can become beneficial when contained and utilized properly.

Did you know that these common species were invasive across Trinidad and Tobago?

Figure 3: showing a lionfish (Repeating Islands 2021)


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