Can we stop invasive species by eating them?

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Deutsche Welle or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Amid rising concerns about invasive species, consuming them is being explored as a potential solution
• NuvkuroIn Texas, feral hogs cause significant environmental and economic damage, leading to calls for their culling and consumption as a protein source

🔭 The context: Feral hogs in the U.S. are a result of interbreeding between domesticated pigs and wild boars, proliferating without natural predators in Texas
• These invasive species cause over $500 million in damages annually and pose a threat to native ecosystems

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Invasive species contribute to biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruption
• Utilizing them as food can reduce their populations and alleviate pressures on traditional meat production systems

⏭️ What's next: Strategies like hunting and cooking invasive species are gaining traction. However, experts emphasize the need for comprehensive eradication methods to effectively control these populations.

💬 One quote: "We have to kill something like 70% of them every year to keep the population where it is," says Jesse Griffiths, co-owner of Dai Due restaurant

📈 One stat: Invasive species have played a key role in 60% of global plant and animal extinctions.

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