Alexis 5/19/25
Hawaii, one of the most famous tourist destinations. While Hawaii benefits economically from tourism, it also greatly suffers from unexpected guests. Due to Hawaii being isolated and having nutrient rich soil, it can support great amounts of biodiversity only found in its islands. So when an unprecedented threat emerges, things go terribly really fast. Infact Hawaii is the world’s endangered species capital because it’s also the world’s invasive species capital.
Invasive species are flora and fauna in locations where they shouldn’t be naturally. They usually arrive in their unusual destinations via intentional or unintentional human intervention like discreetly hitching a ride on cargo or being introduced to an area. A good portion of the invasives in Hawaii arrived because humans wanted to introduce them to improve agriculture, like introducing Barn Owls to catch rodents or Strawberry Guava to produce fruits. Unfortunately for the islands, these species outcompete native ones or even predate them causing mass extinctions. Hawaii has lost 71% of its native bird species and 74% of native insect species.
Thankfully there are ways to manage this crisis. For example, scientists and officials check incoming imports for invasive species and all travelers to Hawaii must fill out an agricultural form. Please fill out this form as accurately as you can if you ever go to Hawaii. When officials contain rampant invasives they usually eliminate them. Morally it’s not nice but it is practical, cost-effective, and ethical if you think about it. Some of these captured invasive species have never set foot in their native environments and may not be able to re-adjust back since one of the reasons they do so well is their lack of any natural predators.Therefore disposing of them in this manner seems to be the best solution. Invasive species aren’t just a Hawaii problem, they’re literally everywhere being nuisances and decimating local populations. You can help stop them by volunteering with conservationist organizations or learning more about invasives in your area so you can report them to officials. Just so you know, the list of invasives is an ever expanding one due to our globalized world, so if you notice anything that doesn’t look like any native species, you should probably get in contact with an expert.