In the 1930s, Florida introduced rhesus macaques to boost tourism; today the invasive monkeys carry a potentially fatal virus and are considered a public-health concern

Nonhuman primates (NHPs) can harbour multiple zoonotic pathogens owing to their close phylogenetic relationship and frequent interactions with humans. They can also be extremely successful ecological invaders. Within the United States, fewer than or equal to NHP species have been introduced and of them, the rhesus macaque has successfully established populations in Florida and Puerto […]

Read More

Fur traders introduced Arctic foxes across Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to produce pelts; by killing seabirds, the foxes helped turn lush grasslands into tundra

The foxes reduced seabird populations, which meant less nutrient-rich guano reached the islands. Arctic foxes introduced to more than 400 Alaskan islands for fur changed far more than the local wildlife. According to a study published in journal Science, by preying on seabirds, they disrupted the flow of nutrients from the ocean to land and […]

Read More