The exotic invaders running wild in Kent
Kent News - The exotic invaders running wild in Kent
KENT NEWS: Parts of the county are home to some of the UK’s largest populations of animal invaders.
A new report found parakeets and scorpions top the list of creatures in the UK that shouldn’t be here – and most are in Kent.
The ring-necked parakeets have been commonplace in parts of Thanet, and the European yellow-tailed scorpions have long been thriving in Sheerness.
They are part of an invasion that started 150 years ago, and many of the creatures are gaining strong footholds in Britain.
The Eden Wildlife Report was specially commissioned to celebrate cable TV station Eden Channel’s Great British Wildlife Season.
The research team, led by Dr Toni Bunnell from the University of Hull, analysed all the officially recorded sightings of non-indigenous species that have been introduced into the UK in the last 150 years.
Wild boar have been seen in east Kent, while snapping turtles are being spotted in parts of Kent and east London.
The study recorded the population of each species and looked into the possible effects on our local species and ecological environment.
The research shows that due to its population of up to 50,000, the ring-necked parakeet is the most populous exotic species now residing in Britain.
Originally found in hotter climates such as Africa and South Asia, these birds have been breeding in the UK since 1969 and have descended from pets and aviary birds that escaped or were deliberately released.
There are now established breeding colonies in south-east England, like the one in Margate, although they have been spotted as far afield as Wales and Scotland.
The report also shows that there are concerns about the rapidly expanding numbers and their potential impact on native bird species.
The second most populated exotic animal to come to Britain is the European yellow-tailed scorpion.
This arrived in the 1860s on merchant ships carrying cargoes of Italian masonry from Europe. They mainly reside in London and south-east England.
Sheerness has a large established wild colony in the brickwork of a dockside wall.
Top 10 Exotic Animals in Great Britain
1) Ring-necked parakeet 50,000
2) European yellow-tailed scorpion 13,000
3) Chinese water deer 10,000
4) Siberian chipmunk 1,000
5) Wild boar 900
6) Large wild cats 50
7) Red-necked wallaby 50
8) Snapping turtle 20
9) Coati 10
10) Raccoon dog 10
Rest of story can be found here.
Kent News - The exotic invaders running wild in Kent
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