These are our top 10 invaders in the UK

I would expect Mink to be a lot higher as well, since they do so much damage!! And I also expected Japanese Knotweed to be higher up than Giant Hogweed, since it's much harder to dispose of (in my experience, anyway). Very interesting!

Thank you Sarah for your thoughts about this thread

Mink is a well known imposter when it comes to birds and birds nests

Other thoughts that the Mitton Crab, and the Grey Squirrel are not on the list at all

Japanese Knotweed is a bit of a monster, and councils are fussy about if it is in area as it needs to be cordined off.

Makes us think of pour native wildlife

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Well, Grey Squirrels seem to be a bit of a tricky one. They've been around so long now, and have spread so far that many people consider them to be native, and eradication will almost certainly never happen. Plus, they don't do that much damage really, when compared to Mink or the Signal Crayfish. As for the Knotweed, I think there's too many obstacles in the way when trying to get rid of it, but I can that the rules are only in place to stop it spreading further.

Don't know anything about the Mitton Crab, but there are so many more invasive non-native species than mentioned on this list that have a really negative impact on our native wildlife e.g. Rhododendrons!! But we're never going to be able to return ourselves to only having native species - it's too big a task! But I do think that we should try to re-introduce some of our native species to areas where they've been wiped out due to non-native wlidlife, or where they would be beneficial to control populations of non-native wildlife.

E.g. Introducing wolves to help control deer populations - but I realise this will probably never happen since many people are opposed to the idea for some reason.

Hi Sarah

Grey Squirrels have been around for a long time and they are accepted as part of the normal now

They are so settled that it will be hard to take control of them.

Mink are the biggest worry when it comes to birds and their offspring.  I see wardens at the reserves are always on the look out for them.

I understand the the mitton Crab and the Crayfish are not native to our country need have a fight with one and another as a species, and eradicate each other.

I remember having to chop down Rhoddies as a volunteer, and they are not the easiest of bushes when they get a grip. The timber snaps in your face and they re-root themselves if you drop a piece on the floor.

I think people would find wolves scary, and that would be an issue too,  We do really need to consider about our own native species and if they can take a front line in sorting out a foreign species

What would you like to see changed in the animal kingdom.

Interesting as this conversation can go a long way yet.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

I suspect the reason grey squirrel is not there is because this is a list from the Environment Agency and the squirrel has little effect on our waterways.  Other organisations would have a much different list

Godd thought there Bob,every agency will have its own agenda on this.Mind you some of our introduced species are very welcome such as Little Owl,Ruddy Duck (if we have any of these left) and our two most populus geese,the Greylag and Canada,though these get differing receptions depending on who you ask.

I'm not really sure what I would like to see changed really. I think there needs to be more control of deer populations since they are so damaging to woodland areas, and really damaging invasive species such as mink wiped out in this country. And more measures could be taken to re-introduce lost species, as well as more effort to conserve those that are struggling, e.g. capercaillie, Slavonian grebes, most raptor species etc etc, the list goes on! But also some more focus on the insect species that we are losing, as they are a much better indicator of our planets health, and there needs to be lots of work done to save them.

I'm not really sure how we can go about this, but I don't think leaving it to nature is always the answer, although in many cases it is best. However, we (people in general) have been the root cause of the decline of so many species through pollution, persecution, poor land management etc, and in these cases I think it is our responsibility to step up and do something about it.