Re: Invasive specie
Originally Posted by
Silver Tabby
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And the
Himalayan Balsam, Muddy, that is crowding out the normal river bank/hedgerow plants. The local 'Wildlife trust' has had several purges on it - but it always comes back.
I saw on the telly the other night that they have done research and a now making alcoholic drink from the Himalayan Balsam flowers.
I wish I had paid more attention now, so can't remember if it is used to flavour Gin, or beers?
Also, regarding those Cane toads Muddy said about, they are very poisonous little critters. They secrete the poison from glands in their skin and it is very toxic.
Another invasive thing is the UK was introduced from America and is the Americal Mink. See here:
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Another American native, mink were introduced to Great Britain in 1929 for use in fur farming but individuals began to escape from farms and breed in the wild.
Since their introduction, the native water vole has experienced one of the most rapid and serious declines of any British wild mammal during the 20th century. There has been a decline in as much as 94 per cent in the number of water vole sites, and predation by the invasive American mink has been a key factor in this decline.
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