Australia faces an array of potential invasive species that could cause serious harm, according to a new column by Carol Booth, policy director at the Invasive Species Council. Writing for Halloween, Booth suggested that complacency may be the real monster, as she detailed threats including an alga known as rock snot, a tiny beetle carrying tree-killing fungus, and a fish that can wriggle across land.
In her column published across Australian outlets, Booth described several species that worry her most. Among them is rock snot (Didymosphenia geminata), a freshwater alga that invaded New Zealand in 2004 and can smother riverbeds in thick mats. Australia has so far kept it out. Another concern is the polyphagous shot-hole borer, a beetle first detected in Perth in 2021 that carries a fungus capable of killing trees. It has been estimated that it could wipe out 47 per cent of Sydney's tree canopy if it were to reach the east coast.
The climbing perch is also described as a potential invader. This fish can survive out of water for hours and wriggle across land between water bodies, and has recently reached islands in the Torres Strait after invading Papua New Guinea. Booth also pointed to Burmese pythons and other exotic snakes kept illegally in captivity, as well as the Australian government's consideration of allowing Bengal cats, a cross between domestic cats and Asian leopard cats, to be imported as pets. Booth described them as a nightmare for snack-sized mammals.
Booth raised the issue of red imported fire ants and argued that keeping them at bay will cost money, but it will cost more if they are not kept at bay. She drew on past invasions, including rabbits, foxes, cats and cane toads, to illustrate the consequences of failing to act early.
The central theme of the column is the danger of complacency. Booth argues that because prevention does not produce dramatic scenes, its successes are easily forgotten. She wrote that an island is only as safe as the systems protecting its shores, warning that new invaders often arrive quietly, hidden in shipping containers or on fishing gear.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Australia's unique ecosystems are highly vulnerable to invasive species, which can disrupt native wildlife, agriculture, and public health.
- The cost of controlling established pests far exceeds the cost of prevention, making early action critical to avoid long-term damage.
- Public complacency risks underfunding biosecurity measures, allowing new invasions to take hold before they are detected.
Background
The source article provides context from past invasions: rabbits multiplied into hundreds of millions, foxes and cats helped erase native mammals from large parts of the continent, cane toads poisoned predators as they spread across northern Australia, and fire ants are now a stark warning. Booth uses these examples to illustrate the consequences of inaction. The article also notes that rock snot has already invaded New Zealand, while the polyphagous shot-hole borer is currently being contained in Western Australia after first detection in 2021.
What to Watch
- Whether the Australian government proceeds with allowing imports of Bengal cats, which could become a major predator of small native mammals.
- The spread of red imported fire ants and whether current eradication efforts are sufficient to prevent further establishment.
- The potential arrival of the climbing perch from Papua New Guinea and Torres Strait islands to mainland Australia, as it continues to expand its range.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedComplacency may be a threat as potential invasive species loom.The Age - Latest News: “Perhaps that is the real monster in this story: complacency.”
- SupportedAustralia faces many species that could cause serious harm if they arrive, according to Booth’s column.The Age - Latest News: “Thousands of species native to somewhere else could cause serious harm if they arrived here”
- SupportedCarol Booth is a policy director at the Invasive Species Council and wrote the column.The Age - Latest News: “Dr Carol Booth is a policy director at the Invasive Species Council.”
- Not in the sourcesBooth’s column was published across Australian outlets.The Age - Latest News: “The Age - Latest News”
- SupportedRock snot invaded New Zealand in 2004.The Age - Latest News: “It invaded New Zealand in 2004 and has since spread through waterways there”
- SupportedThe polyphagous shot-hole borer carries a fungus capable of killing trees.The Age - Latest News: “a beetle the size of a sesame seed that carries a fungus capable of killing magnificent old trees.”
- SupportedThe borer could wipe out 47 per cent of Sydney’s tree canopy if it reached the east coast.The Age - Latest News: “It’s been estimated it could wipe out 47 per cent of Sydney’s tree canopy if it were to reach the east coast.”
- SupportedThe climbing perch can survive out of water for hours and wriggle across land between water bodies.The Age - Latest News: “The climbing perch is a fish that can survive out of water for hours and wriggle across land between water bodies.”
- SupportedThe climbing perch recently reached Torres Strait islands after invading Papua New Guinea.The Age - Latest News: “After invading Papua New Guinea, it recently reached islands in the Torres Strait.”
- SupportedThe Australian government is considering allowing Bengal cats to be imported as pets.The Age - Latest News: “The Australian government is considering allowing Bengal cats – a cross between domestic cats and Asian leopard cats – to be imported as pets.”
- SupportedBooth described Bengal cats as a nightmare for snack-sized mammals.The Age - Latest News: “A nightmare for any of our snack-sized mammals.”
- Partly supportedNew invaders often arrive quietly, hidden in shipping containers or on fishing gear.The Age - Latest News: “The monsters of ecological horror rarely arrive with ominous music. Usually, they arrive in a shipping container. ... The microscopic cells clinging to fishing gear.”
