THE CENTER SQUARE – In addition to recovering from the devastation of hurricanes Helene and Milton, which hit Florida 13 days apart, the state and other southeastern states may soon be grappling with more than 200 invasive species.
The floodwaters from Helene and Milton may have accelerated the spread of invasive wildlife and plant species into new areas in Florida and the states of Georgia, North and South Carolina and potentially Virginia and Maryland, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.
It published new maps to track where aquatic non-native and invasive species may have been carried due to flooding associated with the hurricanes.
The USGS began creating flood and storm tracker maps to forecast the spread of invasive species in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey spread invasive species throughout the southeast Texas region.
“Invasive species are non-native species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic damage, environmental harm, or a risk to human health or cultural practices. Invasive species can decrease agricultural production, compete with native plants and wildlife, impair critical water infrastructure, transmit disease to wildlife and humans, threaten commercial and native fisheries, and cost governments and industries billions of dollars,” USGS said.