American bullfrog and Brown tree snake: Invasive frog, snake cost world economy $16 billion

Source: The post is based on the article “Invasive frog, snake cost world economy $16 billion” published in The Hindu on 31st July 2022.

What is the News?

According to a study, two invasive species namely the American bullfrog and the brown tree snake cost the world economy an estimated $16 billion between 1986 and 2020 by causing problems such as crop failure and triggered costly power failures.

How are American Bullfrog and Brown Tree Snake impacting the world economy?

Brown Tree Snake or Boiga Irregularis: It is an invasive species that has multiplied uncontrollably on Pacific islands including Guam and the Marianna Islands, where it was introduced by U.S. troops in World War II.

– The snakes have at times been so abundant that they caused power outages by crawling on electrical equipment.

American bullfrog: It is a highly invasive species that had the greatest impact in Europe.

– A female bullfrog can lay up to 20,000 eggs at one time compared to native frogs which only lay 2,000 to 5,000 eggs. They can eat nearly anything, including other bullfrogs.

– In Europe, exploding numbers of American bullfrogs have required ambitious and costly management programmes. To prevent the spread of them, officials have been forced to install expensive frog-proof fencing around known breeding sites.