South America is an important region for the world's biodiversity, and includes a wide variety of native species, many of which provide medicinal uses.
[2] Because of the instrumental and cultural value placed on these species, greater awareness, research, and policy are all necessary steps in solving invasive issues in South America.
In 1946, the Argentine Navy imported ten beaver couples from Canada and set them free in Isla Grande, the consequences of this initiative were disastrous.
Now, a study published in Chilean Natural History suggests that the demographic explosion of those beavers could be bigger than suspected because it can take years or even decades for local inhabitants to notice the rodents' presence and their impact on the surrounding ecosystems.
The European hare has a wide range across Europe and western Asia and has been introduced to a number of other countries around the globe, often as a game species.
The hare is an adaptable species and can move into new habitats, but it survives best when there is an availability of a wide variety of weeds and other herbs to supplement its main diet of grasses.
Due to the quick pace that they can reproduce, the population is growing so rapidly it causes serious damage to agriculture and natural areas.
Invasive wild pigs’ success can largely be attributed to their lack of natural predators, impressive fertility, adaptability to a variety of climates and conditions, and tendency to eat almost anything.
[citation needed] Giant-African-land-snail was introduced in Brazil in the 1980s as an alternative to escargot's farming,[3] as the species grows faster and is more prolific.
With its vast and diverse landscapes, Brazil hosts a wide array of non-native species that threaten native flora and fauna.
[6] While some invasive species have been present since the European colonization period in the 1500s, a substantial number of first records occurred in the last century, with a notable increase after the year 2000.
[6] This list represents a significant step towards understanding and managing invasive species in Brazil, providing valuable scientific insights for conservation efforts across the nation's megadiverse ecosystems.