Haitao "pet"? Beware of biological intrusions

Source: Voice of China, China Central Radio and Television Corporation

Recently, Qingdao Post Office Customs, which belongs to Qingdao Customs, seized 38 live ants that had entered the country illegally, including 23 ants of the genus Minotaur ant and 15 ants of the genus Bowback Ant. According to customs regulations, live insects are prohibited from being mailed into the country, and the mail has been further processed according to regulations.

According to the data recently released by the General Administration of Customs, in the first quarter of this year, customs intercepted 710 species and 1749 batches of alien species in mail, express mail and passenger carry-on channels, intercepted 204 species and 14196 quarantine pests, with an increase of 27.8% year-on-year, and issued 141 violation notices to foreign parties.

Among the pests seized by customs, ants are a very common one. It is worth noting that many ants did not inadvertently run to the country, but were deliberately transported in. Most of the recipients of these ants will keep or sell them as pets.

What kind of harm do these tiny ants do to human health and our nation's ecosystem? In addition to ants, what other exotic species deserve our vigilance?

Although the ants are small, the invasion hazard is very large

Why are these ants alarming customs officers? Qingdao customs officer Qi Zhenhua introduced that compared with ordinary ants, bulldog ants are very large, with a body shape of 25 mm to 45 mm, and their appearance is more special.

Therefore, some enthusiasts are quite interested and like to raise it. But this seemingly "loving" behavior actually has huge risks. On the one hand, it is the destruction of our country's ecological environment, and on the other hand, it is the harm to people.

The small red fire ant is the most typical example. Recently, Shanghai Customs and shanghai natural history museum, with the daily work intercepted alien biological specimens to carry out a legal education, at the event site, Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Customs Check-in Section Deputy Chief Li Guanwei introduced that the red fire ant is one of the 100 very dangerous invasive species identified by the World Union for Conservation of Nature, and is also a quarantine pest in China. The red fire ant that originated in South America has now spread to 12 provinces in China, not only threatening the survival of similar species, but also attacking humans, causing redness and swelling of the skin, blisters, and even shock and death.

Many people can hardly imagine that small ants will cause great damage to the ecology of our country. Due to their strong aggression and high adaptability, these alien species will rapidly develop into dominant species after invasion, squeezing the living space of native species in China, causing great damage to the original ecological structure and causing ecological imbalance. It will also lead to the reduction of crop yields, the spread of plant diseases and insect pests, and cause significant losses to China's agriculture.

Sea Cockroach as a pet?

It is hard to imagine that cockroaches are actually raised by some people. Some sellers sell cockroaches nominally from overseas, such as the "Madagascar Sound cockroach", which sells for a few yuan to hundreds of dollars each. The cockroach's scientific name is Madagascar cockroach, because it fights and makes a whirring sound, and many sellers package it as a new type of pet to sell online. In addition, there is a kind of Peruvian giant cockroach, because of its large size and colorful colors, it has also attracted the curiosity of many people.

These creatures are indeed very peculiar and eye-catching, but none of this is a reason to keep them as pets. Take the cockroach, for example, a typical "vector organism" that can act as a vector for the transmission of viruses. Cao Min, head of the National Vector Biological Surveillance Working Group of the General Administration of Customs and a third-level researcher at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port Area Customs, said that the aflatoxin carried by cockroaches has a carcinogenic risk.

Are succulents also at risk of biological invasion?

In addition to cockroaches, ants and other exotic creatures, it may seriously endanger people's health and ecological environment. Seemingly harmless green plants are also worth vigilance, such as succulents, which are sought after by many people because they are small and cute and easy to breed. Some "Haitao" also buy imported succulents from overseas through online channels.

However, these succulents, which have not undergone risk assessment and quarantine, are likely to pose multiple safety risks. First, succulents are extremely susceptible to reproduction and, if not properly preserved or discarded, are likely to pose a risk of invasive alien species. Second, succulents are susceptible to bacterial, fungal and viral infections, and these harmful microorganisms are likely to be carried in through the plant, creating a risk of animal and plant outbreaks. Third, the soil carried by succulents may contain harmful pathogenic microorganisms, insect eggs, etc., which will bring certain risks to ecological safety and public health and safety.

Seemingly green and natural plants, do not randomly "sea shopping". The Biosecurity Law of the People's Republic of China, which came into effect on April 15 this year, clearly stipulates that the prevention and response to the invasion of alien species should be strengthened and biodiversity should be protected. No unit or individual may introduce, release or discard alien species without approval.

Therefore, each of us must also establish a sense of national biosecurity, and do not mail live insects and seedlings online or buy and bring them in abroad through friends.

Producer 丨 Liang Yue

Reporter of the Central Broadcasting Bureau 丨Hejia

Editor丨Fu Zhao Bi Liwei