Invasive Species

While this picture looks mesmerising, in frame are two of India’s most notorious invasive species: Lantana Camara (pink flowers) and Parthenium/ Carrot grass (white flowers). Both these species are native to North and Central America. They outcompete native plants very easily due to their fast proliferation rate.

Because of the hot and humid climate, abundance of pollinators and absence of any natural competition, these species have taken over humongous swathes of land in India. Unfortunately, they’ve proliferated and made their way into South India’s biodiversity rich tropical rainforests, disrupting local flora and fauna. To add to the problem, these plants are toxic to cattle and livestock, hence cannot be destroyed by grazing.

Spreading awareness about invasive species is important to prevent such unwanted ecological disasters.