6.3.2 Invasive alien species
The tortoises that gave the Galápagos islands their name are now threatened by alien introductions. Goats have been a particular problem, but slowly the populations have been brought under control. The habitat, the wariness of goats and remoteness of the islands make eradicating goats a very expensive proposition.
Like the animals on the Galápagos, much of the flora of the islands is also vulnerable to the impacts of introduced alien species. In recent years around 500 species have been introduced. Amongst the most devastating has been the red quinine tree.
OpenLearn - Introduction to ecosystems
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