Invasive Lionfish
Each invasive Lionfish used contributes to protecting up to 70,000 native reef fish. It also protects the livelihoods of over 40 million people who make their living from coral reefs.
Indo Pacific Lionfish, native to the Pacific Ocean, are an invasive species introduced to the Atlantic a few decades ago as an exotic aquarium fish. They have quickly spread through the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mediterranean Sea, where they have no natural predator. This lionfish invasion is destroying native fish populations and coral reefs.
Coral reefs are crucial to the health of the planet. They provide habitat for over a million aquatic species, protect coastlines from natural disasters, help regulate carbon dioxide levels in the ocean, support local economies through tourism and fishing, and offer potential sources for new medicines.
Invasive lionfish prey on over 50 native species of small fish and juvenile fish, including the smaller herbivorous fish and invertebrates that normally keep algae in check on a coral reef. This ruins their ecological balance and causes the reefs to die. Just one invasive lionfish can consume up to 70,000 native reef fish in its lifetime. And they lay as many as 30,000 eggs, every four days. Which has allowed the lionfish population to skyrocket in a short amount of time. Invasive lionfish are out-competing every other native fish in the water. If left unchecked, this lionfish invasion will ultimately destroy the coral reefs, native fish stocks and the livelihoods of everyone that depend upon them.
At this point, scientists think this is one invasive species that's impossible to stop. But we can at least slow this lionfish invasion down. Many areas affected by these fish are now hosting annual lionfish derbies to encourage more people to catch them. Fortunately, unlike some other invasive species, lionfish are edible and delicious. So, as word spreads, they will hopefully become a common site on menus around the world. And their skins are being adopted by the fashion industry as a beautiful, durable exotic leather.
Invasive Burmese Python
Each invasive Burmese Python used contributes to protecting over 70 species of native mammals, birds, and reptiles, and the 1.3 billion dollar economy dependent on the Florida Everglades.
Burmese Pythons, initially exotic pets imported from Asia, were accidentally introduced to the Florida Everglades in the 1980s. Today the Everglades are overrun by these giant creatures, and they’ve eaten at least 95% of the animals in the area. Worse, now they’re expanding their territory and have been spotted down in the Florida Keys and as far north as Georgia. Efforts to control them involve full-time snake hunters, open python hunting seasons, and an annual python hunting competition. Unfortunately, most of these animals are poisonous to eat due to being contaminated with mercury from eating many smaller animals.
Snake hunters have transformed this challenge into an opportunity. They repurpose the python skins into leather for use mainly in the fashion industry. Sourcing materials from invasive species in this way discourages the term "sustainably sourced" for the more fitting "responsibly sourced." This unconventional approach aligns ecological balance with creative craftsmanship.
Invasive CarP
Each invasive carp used contributes to protecting up to 150 native fish and endangered freshwater species. It also protects the $500 billion dollar economy and livelihoods of over 1.5 million people who depend on the Mississippi River.
Carp, originally from Europe and Asia, have been in the U.S. for a long time. The common carp has been here for over a century. However, the new invasive carp family, including bighead, black, grass, and silver carp, is causing trouble in the Mississippi River and nearby waters. Introduced in the 1970s to tackle algae and weeds in aquatic farms and canals, these carp escaped into the Mississippi and started multiplying.
Now, they're making their way up the river and have been spotted as far north as Minnesota, worrying experts about the threat to our aquatic ecosystems. Invasive carp harm native fish by out-competing for food and space, lowering water quality, endangering sensitive organisms like freshwater mussels, and dominating entire streams, displacing native species. And silver carp's habit of jumping out of the water poses the risks of injuring boaters and water skiers, and damaging boats.
Invasive carp lay hundreds of thousands of eggs at a time, growing and spreading their populations quickly. Experts fear these fish entering the Great Lakes could harm the $7 billion/year fishing industry. If they spread in Minnesota, the resort and sport fishing industry may be at risk, as carp out-compete vital native fish populations for food and habitat, impacting anglers.
American Alligator
Each American Alligator used contributes to preserving and protecting the Earth’s precious wetlands and the 8,000 native plants and animals species that live in them.and the 8,000 native plants and animals species that live in them.
Are alligators an invasive species? No. the American Alligator is a vitally important native species that has existed mostly unchanged for 200 million years. The alligator is considered a keystone species. It provides refuges for aquatic native wildlife, fresh water and food for other animals, and nesting and feeding sites for egrets and herons. They help maintain populations of native fish, and keep areas of open water free from invading vegetation. The alligator also helps keep invasive species, like nutria, in check. Without alligators, the ecosystem would change drastically and many species of native plants, reptiles, and animals would disappear. And their habitats are crucial to combating climate change, as wetlands sequester significantly more carbon per square mile than rainforests.
Once viewed as a menace, the alligator was once excessively hunted. Their swampy habitats were undervalued and destroyed by agriculture and development. This led to their near extinction by 1967, when they were added to the Endangered Species List and put under federal wildlife protection.
Fortunately, strict regulation and careful management under the Endangered Species Act quickly revived the alligator population. Their swift recovery led to their removal from the Endangered Species List just 20 years later in 1987. Now alligators number in the millions. Still federally protected, they're currently labeled "LC" for species of least concern.
Surprisingly, this was accomplished by commercializing them. A well-regulated market for hides and meat incentivizes wetland owners to maintain alligators' natural habitats. These funds also support alligator farming, where alligator farmers collect and raise wild eggs. Releasing a percentage back into their native ecosystems when they're a year old ensures stronger populations than if they were left to hatch in the wild.
This program safeguards the alligator, it's habitats, and local biodiversity, preventing potential extinction. Investing in alligator leather supports a successful conservation initiative and promotes a healthier planet.
These scientifically-supported facts are backed by the United Nations, CITES, and wildlife biologists around the world.