Cane Toads in Australia: Introduced in 1935 to control pests in sugarcane fields, cane toads have spread rapidly across Australia, causing significant ecological damage and poisoning native wildlife.
Zebra Mussels in the Great Lakes: Accidentally introduced through ballast water from ships, zebra mussels have clogged water intake pipes, disrupted ecosystems, and caused extensive economic damage.
Rabbit Plague in Australia: European rabbits were introduced for hunting in the 1850s and quickly multiplied, leading to widespread destruction of vegetation and native habitats.
Asian Carp in the Mississippi River: Imported for aquaculture, Asian carp escaped into the wild and have since spread throughout the Mississippi River basin, outcompeting native fish species.
Brown Tree Snakes in Guam: Accidentally introduced to Guam after World War II, brown tree snakes have decimated native bird populations and caused frequent power outages by climbing electrical lines.
Nutria in the United States: Introduced for fur farming, nutria have spread across the southern U.S., damaging wetlands, levees, and agricultural fields due to their burrowing and feeding habits.
Gypsy Moths in North America: Introduced for silk production experiments in the late 19th century, gypsy moths have become a major pest, defoliating millions of acres of forest annually.
Africanized "Killer" Bees in the Americas: Created by crossbreeding African and European honeybees, these aggressive bees escaped in Brazil in the 1950s and have spread throughout the Americas, posing a threat to both people and native bee populations.
Feral Pigs Worldwide: Descendants of escaped domestic pigs, feral pigs have established populations in many parts of the world, causing extensive agricultural damage, spreading disease, and threatening native wildlife.