In 2011, Fukushima's nuclear evacuation left farm pigs behind; escaped pigs bred with wild boar, and 16% of sampled wild boar in the zone were hybrids

India, Oct. 10 -- When people suddenly evacuate their homes, animals can be left behind to fend for themselves. That happened in Fukushima, Japan, after the 2011 nuclear disaster forced residents to l... Read More

In the 1900s, North America planted Russian olive for windbreaks and soil stability; it became invasive in California and 16 other Western states

India, Oct. 10 -- At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian olive was introduced to North America as a tree that could serve as a windbreak, prevent erosion, and provide wildlife shelter. The Cali... Read More

In 1933, the US promoted kudzu to combat soil erosion; by 1946, an estimated 3 million acres had been planted

India, Oct. 10 -- Take a drive through the South in midsummer, and you may see trees, utility poles, and abandoned buildings engulfed in green. Although the landscape can look as if nature has run wil... Read More

Water hyacinth, a South American ornamental, invaded 53 countries; on Lake Victoria it covered 90% of the shore, costing the region about $150M a year

India, Oct. 10 -- There's a lake in East Africa that's so big it feels like a sea. Now imagine a thick green carpet spreading across its edges. That really happened on Lake Victoria. According to a U.... Read More

In 1788, prickly pear from the Americas was brought to Australia for hedges and red dye; by the 1920s, it had taken over 24 million hectares of land

India, Oct. 10 -- Ever picked up a cute plant on a whim, only to see it take over your balcony? Now imagine that happening on a massive scale. It may sound unlikely, but it happened in Australia. Acco... Read More

In Australia, American lantana escaped ornamental gardens and became Queensland's most invasive weed; grazing costs reached A$121 million in 2007

India, Oct. 10 -- You've probably walked past lantana without a second thought. With its tiny, brightly colored flower clusters, it appears to be a perfect garden plant. People grow it for its bright ... Read More

In 1994, California ordered Los Angeles to curb its Mono Lake diversions, imposing stream-flow rules to protect a lake pushed toward collapse

India, Oct. 10 -- Every big city gets its water from somewhere, and those choices can reshape distant places. Mono Lake in eastern California is a good example. For decades, the city of Los Angeles to... Read More

In 1776, Chinese tallow is believed to have arrived in the US; once eyed for a soap industry, it now infests over 234,000 acres in southeast Texas

India, Oct. 10 -- Many gardeners have planted something that has grown a lot faster than they expected. Take the Chinese tallow tree, which has heart-shaped leaves, bright fall foliage, and white seed... Read More

In 1870, Java's governor sent 12 rusa deer to New Caledonia as a gift; they multiplied into an estimated 250,000 to 370,000 invasive animals

India, Oct. 10 -- Invasive species often sneak in by accident. In New Caledonia, a French island territory in the South Pacific, the story was quite different. In 1870, 12 rusa deer arrived from Java,... Read More

In 1940s New Zealand, cordgrass was planted to reclaim wetlands for grazing; it spread across tidal mudflats, forcing decades of eradication work

India, Oct. 10 -- Some fixes can backfire in a big way. In New Zealand, a hardy grass was introduced to turn marshy coastlines into grazing land. It eventually took over parts of the coast. In Februar... Read More

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