Invasive Species Statistics

Key Takeaways

• 1The invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) has population densities exceeding 400 individuals per acre in some invaded reefs of the Atlantic
• 2Kudzu (Pueraria montana) covers approximately 7 million acres in the southeastern United States, spreading at a rate of 2,500 acres per day
• 3The brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) has caused the extinction of 12 native bird species on Guam since 1940s introduction
• 4European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) cause over $800 million in annual agricultural damage in the US by consuming crops and contaminating feed
• 5The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) has killed tens of millions of ash trees across 35 US states, leading to $10-30 billion in urban tree replacement costs
• 6The economic impact of invasive weeds in the US rangelands totals $2 billion annually in lost forage production
• 7Burmese pythons in the Florida Everglades have reduced small mammal populations by up to 99% in some areas since their establishment in the 1990s
• 8Asian carp (multiple species) make up over 90% of the biomass in some sections of the Illinois River, displacing native fish species
• 9In Hawaii, invasive rats consume 85-100% of the seeds of native plants in some forests, preventing regeneration
• 10Lionfish off North Carolina coasts have increased 700% since 2010, with densities up to 10 times natural levels
• 11Over 6,500 non-native species established in the US, with 42% causing economic or ecological harm
• 12Invasive signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) occupy 95% of UK freshwater sites, hybridizing with natives
• 13US national parks spend $15 million yearly on invasive plant control, covering 1.5 million acres treated
• 14Biological control agents have been released against 230 invasive weeds in the US, with 50% success in suppression
• 15Early detection rapid response programs in the US prevent $100 million in annual invasive species damages

Invasive species cause severe environmental and economic damage worldwide.