Locust invasions once seemed like a relic of ancient or faraway crises — the stuff of Bible stories or news from Africa and the Middle East. Over the years, we’ve chronicled grim scenes in Yemen and Egypt, and even spotlighted creative survival strategies (like the recipes of chef Moshe Basson) turning locusts from scourge to sustenance. But what was once viewed as someone else’s problem may now creep into British backyards.

In August 2025, a gardener in Cornwall spotted an Egyptian locust (Anacridium aegyptium) in their garden — a rare find in the UK. The Cornwall Wildlife Trust confirmed the sighting, noting that such insects are typically native to the Mediterranean and North Africa according to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Experts believe this locust was carried north by the same meteorological system that deposited Saharan dust across Cornwall. While one or two migrant locusts reach Britain each year, climate shifts could make the UK more welcoming to non-native species in the years ahead and this worries ecologists and farmers. The trust said the species were thought to arrive on the strong winds from the south east, adding it was likely the locust arrived on the same wind “that’s dumping Saharan dust on our cars overnight”.

The Cornwall Trust urges residents to report unusual insect sightings, helping build a picture of new species’ movements and possible ecological impacts.

The idea of locusts sweeping across the region is not hyperbole — history bears it out:

• Between 2019 and 2022, enormous swarms of desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) devastated parts of East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Middle East, threatening crops and food security across 23 countries.

• In Yemen, conflict weakened agricultural monitoring systems, making the country a key breeding ground. Efforts supported by the FAO and other partners managed to control infestations over tens of thousands of hectares according to the World Bank.

These episodes show how quickly locusts can transform from scattered pests into regional plagues, especially when conditions align in their favor — heat, rainfall after drought, and weak surveillance systems.

What This Means for the UK and the world?

So why should a single locust in Cornwall matter? Because it might be a harbinger of climate change and shifting weather patterns. Warmer, drier extremes and stronger winds can help migratory insects push further north. A recent study links increased locust outbreaks to climate anomalies like heavier rainfall and wind patterns.

Locusts are known for their gregarious transformation: under crowded conditions and favorable environments, solitary locusts morph into swarming hordes, dramatically increasing their threat.  If the UK becomes more hospitable—warmer summers, longer dry periods—such migrant insects may find it easier to survive and reproduce beyond occasional stragglers.

If locusts concern you, read about the devastating locust plague in Africa in 2020, and tips for getting rid of the plague.

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Just as the weather heats up in the Mediterranean a nasty surprise makes it uncomfortable to surf and swim. After Egypt created the man-made Suez Canal to link the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea a nightmare of invasive animal, plant and bacterial species have overtook the Mediterranean Sea.

They compete with fish and habitat, causing harm to natural ecosystems. It’s been over 150 years since the canal was created and there is little evidence that Egypt has done anything to protect habitats on either side of the canal. Toxic jellyfish and invasive lionfish are two of the more well known invaders. Most worrisome has been the arrival of the Lagocephalus Sceleratus, an extremely poisonous bony fish commonly known as the silver-cheeked toadfish.

Desalination plants could create a salinity barrier that would slow the invaders from traveling back and forth but meanwhile research continues on the expansion and behavior of the newcomers.

The phenomenon of migrating from the Red to Med Sea is called the Lessepsian migration (or the Erythrean invasion). It is more rare for the migration to happen in the opposite direction.

One jellyfish, the invasive Rhopilema nomadica, is a nomad jellyfish indigenous to tropical warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Since the 70’s it has been also found in Mediterranean Sea, where it entered via the Suez Canal. It is now the the commonest jellyfish in the southeastern Mediterranean, and they actually direct themselves and “swim” to the west while swimming, according to researchers who studied them.

“Until now, it was assumed that jellyfish aggregations swim in a random manner, so that their direction is dictated solely by water currents…We discovered that along the coast of Israel, jellyfish swim toward the west, i.e., against the direction of the waves,” said Dr. Yoav Lehahn of the Department of Marine Geosciences at the University of Haifa, the editor of the study.

Jellyfish belong to the phylum Cnidaria and have existed for around 500 million years without any morphological changes. Researchers’ knowledge about jellyfish is still very limited in many respects. One of the biggest unknowns  about jellyfish aggregations is the nature of their movement and migration patterns.

The lack of understanding of this aspect impairs the ability to prepare for the arrival of jellyfish at various facilities, such as power stations and desalination plants. “If the jellyfish were passive – in other words, if they were not able to move independently and simply drifted along in sea currents, we could predict the arrival of aggregations. We cannot do so, and this suggests that jellyfish have swimming capabilities that we do not yet understand,” the researchers explained.

The data collection stage in the study was complex: a light airplane flew along the coastline from Ashkelon in the south to Nahariya in the north, mapping the distribution of aggregations and identifying the largest ones. Next, the researchers monitored and photographed the direction of progress of the aggregations using drones operated from a nearby research boat.

The researchers examined the direction in which the aggregations swam relative to the sea currents and waves and found they swim collectively at a speed of around 10cm a second, moving to the west in a counter-wave direction. By so doing, they distance themselves from the coast and increase their chances of survival. The researchers added that the swimming patterns may vary between different jellyfish species and different maritime environments:

“When the strong tidal currents are dominant, it is possible that the jellyfish would swim against the current rather than against the waves, in order to reduce the risk of being swept onto the beach. In other cases, jellyfish may prefer to stay close to the coast, in inlets or estuaries. Swimming toward the open sea may not always be the first choice – the underlying objective is to reach a place where they have the best chances of survival.”

After storms, for example, large numbers of jellyfish are swept onto the beach, because they were unable to overcome the undertow created by the waves, the researchers note. The study advances our understanding of their movements, and in the future may allow us to predict when accumulations will arrive on coasts and when they will depart.

During the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year, the Suez Canal revenues hit a record-breaking $9.4 billion. Canal revenues are a key source of foreign currency for Egypt alongside tourism. Egypt should be earmarking a significant amount of these profits to helping protect the ecosystems that have been devastated. Why is no one holding Egypt accountable?

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CABI, an international research group that identifies and solves problems for invasive pests in agriculture and forestry, has published a ‘Guide to the naturalized, invasive and potentially invasive plants of Socotra, Yemen,’ a place designated in 2008 a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site rich in flora and fauna not found anywhere else in the world.

The guide, written by Dr Arne Witt, CABI’s Invasives Coordinator, South, and co-authored by Ahmed Said Suleiman Abdullah, provides detailed descriptions of 50 invasive alien plant species, including more than 200 colour images, with information on their impacts and management.

This includes the species the authors consider to be the biggest threat to biodiversity – mesquite (prosopis juliflora)and erect prickly pear (Opuntia stricta) – as well as the most widespread and abundant species on Socotra, the medicinal herb billy goat weed (Ageratum conyzoides) and Mexican poppy (Argemone mexicana).

‘Galapagos of the Indian Ocean’

The Socotra Archipelago, in the Northwest Indian Ocean is often referred to as the ‘Galapagos of the Indian Ocean.’ Of the ca. 850 plant taxa known from the archipelago, 37% are endemic, while 90% of its reptile species and 95% of its land snail species do not occur anywhere else on earth.

However, much of this unique diversity is threatened by Invasive Alien Species (IAS). To help raise awareness and build the capacity of people and organizations to manage IAS, CABI developed this field guide after working with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (Jordan).

The guide was funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) whose remit includes providing grants and finance for projects related to, amongst others, biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, sustainable forest management and food security.

Threatened by a host of factors

Dr Witt said, “The Socotra Archipelago is ranked among the richest island systems in the world in terms of biodiversity with a rich and distinct flora and fauna. Indeed, Socotra is among the top ten continental islands in the world in respect of botanical diversity alone.

“However, this extraordinary biodiversity is threatened by a host of factors including immigration, uncontrolled infrastructure development, poor governance at local and national level, over-use of the limited available natural resources (both marine and terrestrial) leading to increased land degradation, and plant and animal invasions.”

The authors say that several exotic species have been introduced to the Socotra Archipelago, either intentionally or accidentally, and are now widely established. Their impacts on Socotra are largely unknown but can be inferred from studies undertaken elsewhere. For instance, the black rat and brown rat are widely established and are known to have had dramatic impacts on island fauna and flora – having driven native species to extinction elsewhere.

Dr Witt and Ahmed Said Suleiman Abdullah added that there have been ongoing efforts to eradicate mesquite and erect prickly pear and the populations are low, but the seed bank, especially of mesquite, is a constant threat.

Another species, wild tobacco (Nicotiana glauca), has been eradicated, at least for now, the authors say. Other species, such as wild tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum) and Jerusalem thorn, are locally abundant. Then there are a few other species which they believe could become invasive in the future. In the guide, they include various species such as bush morning glory (Ipomoea carnea) and several Datura species.

Improving the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people

Co-author, Ahmed Said Suleiman Abdullah, said, “By managing invasive alien plants more effectively we will not only be contributing to biodiversity conservation, but also to improving the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people who depend directly on natural resources for their survival.”

The Guide, the authors say, will also contribute to Yemen meeting its obligations to various international agreements and treaties, such as the Convention on Biological Control (CBD). By managing IAS more effectively Yemen will also be facilitated in meeting many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Taofeg Abdulwahd Al-Sharjabi, Minister of Water and Environment, Yemen, said, “There is no doubt in my mind that this field guide will contribute significantly to our understanding and management of invasive alien plants in the Socotra Archipelago, and even more widely in the region. I thank all of the contributors and donors that made this possible.”

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The invasive blue crabs that made their way to Tunisia from the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal were not welcome at first but since have turned into a new export. Another species of blue crab that originated in America is causing its share of problems for fisherman right now in Italy.

The Callinectes Sapidus, the blue crab, the Atlantic blue crab, or the Maryland blue crab is threatening Italy’s clam-farming and fishing industries. The Italian government has allocated about $3 million USD to fund the capture of as many blue crabs as possible.

As a past researcher on invasive species, working for CAB Biosciences in Switzerland, I am pretty certain that offering a bounty to catch these crabs will have no impact in the long run. The species, as invaders do, will only be balanced when a natural predator finds a way to keep them in check. Remember when the mayor of Hebron offered a $20 bounty for a truck of dead dogs?

At the same time, the blue crab is the fifth most popular crab in the world market. It is especially sought out in the Asian, United States and Australian markets where it is featured on the menus of many restaurants.

According to Nature, the blue crab in Italy was first observed in the Mediterranean Sea in 1949, where it was probably transported in the ballast waters of transoceanic ships.

“The colonisation took some time, it is a slow process,” says Gianluca Sarà, marine ecologist at the University of Palermo. Before invading the Po River Delta, Atlantic blue crabs have been spotted in other locations in Italy. Established populations were first detected in 2014 in the lagoon of Lesina and Varano, in Apulia.

Climate change is suspected to be one of the reasons the blue crab was able to slide into Italy from the Adriatic Sea. Researchers are now looking on how their colonisation will impact other aquatic sea life and shores.

Invasive species like the Portunus segnis from the Indian Ocean or Callinectes Sapidus, the Atlantic blue crab, lived in ecosystems that that developed over thousands, maybe millions of years. The Suez Canal changed this separation between seas fast and is the reason why the Mediterranean is over-run with jellyfish every summer, making it impossible to swim in places like Israel and Lebanon for fear of getting stung during the hottest times of the year.

Two blue crabs invade. Let’s get those crabs straight

Portunus segnis, is the scientific name for the African blue swimming crab. It is a crustacean, and a swimming crab belonging to the family Portunidae. It is native to the western Indian Ocean, but invaded the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal in Egypt. In 2015 it invaded the Gulf of Gabes, in southern Tunisia. Now the country has dozens of crab-processing plants. “At first fishers wanted this species to disappear, but now they are asking the authorities for regulations to protect it,” says one fisherman.

Another invasive blue crab, the one invading Italy currently is Callinectes sapidus, the Atlantic blue crab, or regionally known in the US as the Maryland blue crab. It is a species of crab native to the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and it is now introduced internationally. It is also known as the Chesapeake blue crab.

Global shipping industry to blame for invaders

According to The Revelator, “global shipping is moving invasive species around the world.”

They report that “in July 2021 federal agents in New Orleans abruptly ordered the 600-foot cargo ship Pan Jasmine to leave US waters. The ship, which had sailed from India, was preparing to offload goods when inspectors noticed fresh sawdust on the cargo deck and discovered non-native beetles and ants boring into wooden packaging materials. The unwelcome insects included an Asian longhorn beetle, a species that was introduced into New York 25 years ago, where it has killed thousands of trees and cost $500 million in control efforts.

“The crew of beetles aboard the Pan Jasmine is not an isolated incident. That same month bee experts north of Seattle were scouring forest edges for Asian giant hornet nests. These new arrivals, famously known as “murder hornets,” first turned up in the Pacific Northwest in 2019, also likely via cargo ship. The two-inch hornets threaten crops, bee farms and wild plants by preying on native bees. Officials discovered and destroyed three nests.

“And this past autumn Pennsylvania officials urged residents to be on the lookout for spotted lanternflies, handsome, broad-winged natives of Asia discovered in 2014 and now present in at least nine eastern states. Believed to have arrived with a shipment of stone from China, the lanternfly voraciously consumes plants and foliage, threatening everything from oak trees to vineyards.”

Can world governments agree on necessary preventative measures?

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The Mediterranean Sea is being invaded by hundreds of species of fish, jellyfish, prawns and other marine species from outside the region. This happens when we create artificial waterways like the Suez Canal or when ships release bilge water into new territories. According to a new United Nations report (we covered the last one in 2018 here) there are now more than one thousand non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. 

The waters we love may never be the same. And these invaders are pushing out native species causing fishermen to adjust.

It’s already impossible to go swimming on the beaches of Gaza, Tel Aviv, or Beirut in July when the jellyfish that came from the Red Sea invade. What’s next?

Your favorite fish might go extinct

Over half of the invaders have established permanent populations and are spreading, causing concern about the threat they pose to marine ecosystems and local fishing communities, says a United Nations group called the FAO. 

“Climate change and human activities have had a profound impact on the Mediterranean and the Black Sea,” says Stefano Lelli, a fishery expert for the eastern Mediterranean working for the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean: “We have witnessed a swift and significant alteration of marine ecosystems, and this has led to several impacts on local communities’ livelihoods. In the coming years, we expect the number of non-indigenous species to continue rising. 

This regional fisheries management body, established by FAO, is leading efforts to promote sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. It works with fishers, conservationists, scientists and government authorities to better understand the rise in non-indigenous species and help countries improve their mitigation and management measures. 

How Climate change is making the Mediterranean Sea Tropical

The Mediterranean Sea is undergoing a “tropicalization” process as water temperatures rise, largely due to climate change. In addition, many species have migrated via well-travelled shipping routes such as the Strait of Gibraltar or the Suez Canal, often attached to the hull of ships or inside them in the ballast waters.

Other species, such as the Pacific cupped oyster and the Japanese carpet shell, were introduced for aquaculture during the 1960s and 1970s and have since escaped and colonized Mediterranean ecosystems. 

Once established, non-indigenous (or non-native) species can outcompete native ones and alter their surrounding ecosystems, with potential economic implications for fisheries and tourism or even human health.

What is an invasive species? 

Non-indigenous species (NIS) are called invasive when they cause either ecological, economical damage, or pose a threat to human health. Marine invasive species can pose major threats to biodiversity by altering community structure and function, and by modifying ecosystem processes, which can have long-lasting ecological and economic consequences

For example, six poisonous and venomous non-indigenous fish species, such as pufferfish (pictured above), lionfish and several jellyfish species, are now present in the eastern Mediterranean and can be toxic to humans if touched or ingested. 

Invasive species pose threats to either human health or inflict ecological and/or economic damage. The silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus), a Lessepsian species, is one of the most harmful species in the Mediterranean Sea, because of its potent neurotoxin, impacts on marine biodiversity, and the increased costs and labor they inflict on fishers. It was first reported in Turkey in 2003, but it’s been sighted as washing up on beaches in Israel, Turkey and Greece.

Since the catch and consumption of this pufferfish is prohibited by almost all countries bordering the Mediterranean, they have now expanded into the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea. Read a scientific report on them here.

Regions of concern listed in the report include Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Lebanon, Israel, Syria and Turkey. 

Turning a threat into an opportunity 

Fishers all over the region have been affected by this trend. However, with support, they are finding new ways to turn these invasions into opportunities.  

In southwest Turkey, where invasive species can account for 80 percent of the catch in some areas, fishers are gradually creating new consumer and export markets for species like lionfish, urchins and Randall’s seabream.  

Lebanon is also training fishers to capture non-indigenous species, encouraging consumers to try them. “Red Sea goatfish and lionfish are some examples of non-indigenous species becoming a source of income in Lebanon,” says Manal Nader, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute of Environment at the University of Balamand in Lebanon.  

In Tunisia, two non-indigenous species of blue crabs, which were threatening traditional fishing, were turned into a lucrative business when the FAO and the Tunisian Government helped connect fishers to new markets. We wrote about the blue crabs here. The same is happening in Spain and other parts of the Mediterranean, triggering  research programmes to manage these species.  

Protecting native species of fish

“International and regional cooperation as well as concerted action are needed to tackle non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean and Black Sea,” says Bayram Öztürk, author of the GFCM’s study on non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean (links to PDF).

“Needless to say, the impacts of non-indigenous species need to be monitored by all countries in the region. Once a species is introduced, it may be too late to eradicate.” 

We covered a similar FAO report in 2018. See how they compare.

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Building with invasive plants; Healing through shared war stories

U.S. Veterans, Iraqi refugees and the public will join environmental artist Sarah Kavage and Iraqi designer Yaroub Al-Obaidi in constructing an Iraqi guest house, called a mudhif. Constructed of phragmites, an invasive reed grass, this traditional Iraqi marshland structure will be built on the grounds of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Northwest Philadelphia. 

Mudhifs have traditionally been used for town meetings and ceremonies. At the Roxborough site, it will serve as a gathering place to share experiences of war through storytelling, healing and recovery among U.S. Veterans, Iraqi immigrant communities and the public.

The construction of the cutting-edge art installation Al-Mudhif will kick off on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, with a dedication ceremony. The building process involves tying bundles of reeds into 20-foot-long columns, and then shaping them into huge parabolic arches. Hand-woven mats are then tied over and between the columns, forming a roof. Finally, crafted lattice panels are attached to the sides, allowing for both sunlight and airflow into the interior and enclosing the entire hut.

Connecting with Iraqi communities in nature through the building process of this sanctuary offers a significant memorable and cultural space for U.S. Veterans who were deployed in Iraq to connect with local Iraqi communities and culture.

“It is not often that Veterans are able to heal and connect with residents from areas that were engaged in conflict,” said RADM Karen Flaherty-Oxler, Director of the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz (Philadelphia) VA Medical Center. “Opportunities such as this help bring their experience full circle, often providing closure, healing and building bridges across cultures.”

South Philadelphian Marine Corps Veteran Leroy Anthony Enck says, ”For some veterans and military members, our time in Iraq was marked with loss and destruction: losing fellow service-members in body or spirit, witnessing a similar loss among indigenous communities in Iraq, and observing—despite our best efforts—the environmental destruction our presence and operations facilitated. 

“Some of us have struggled with the larger moral implications of this impact, and after participating in the difficult work of moral engagement, have decided to dedicate ourselves to this work as atonement. Now, we have an opportunity to engage in the hefty work of building: constructing the first mudhif outside of Iraq, building new community with our brethren among the former Iraqis who now call Philadelphia home, and giving—rather than taking—an opportunity for generations young and old to experience greater understanding of people and flora displaced through no choice of their own.”

The involvement of Iraq War Veterans in the project was facilitated by Reverend Chris Antal, a Staff Chaplain at CMCVAMC. Antal had this to say, “Some Veterans who served in Iraq are often burdened by difficult memories and painful emotions. Collaborations such as this help build trust, foster reconciliation and create a sanctuary amidst the calming presence of nature.”

The project is part of a larger art initiative Lenapehoking~Watershed with the Alliance for Watershed Education (AWE) for which Sarah will create multiple site-specific, temporary installations along the Delaware River circuit trail, exclusively using natural materials such as meadow grasses and invasive phragmites. We will activate the installation of the Al-Mudhif with an accompanying exhibition and extended programming around the exchange of war experiences, healing, and intercultural encounters from June to October 2021.

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The creation of the man-made Suez Canal that links the Red Sea to the Mediterranean has made it easier to ship goods from Asia and Africa to Europe, but it has caused a number of environmental problems. One is invasive species like jellyfish multiplying with no end in sight in the Mediterranean Sea.

While one company Cine’al thinks it can cull all the over-jellied seas into a new kind of disposable diaper, fears are getting super serious now that Egypt is talking about expanding the Suez Canal once again in an $8 billion project.

Local newspapers in Israel are calling the expansion ominous as it will lead to more invasive species – land creatures and plants that live in the Indian Ocean swimming and moving to the Mediterranean and vice versa.

While it sounds like a peace plan for the seas, invasive species tend to lack natural predators and completely take over and sometimes destroy entire ecosystems – like purple loosestrife in America. Or rabbits in Australia.

According to Haaretz, 18 scientists from 12 countries have signed a report  “warning about the ecological consequences of the Egyptian government’s plan to expand the Suez Canal by building a new, larger and deeper waterway parallel to the present one.”

The problem will be more severe when the waters warm up as the species coming from the Indian Ocean will be better adapted to warmer waters giving them an advantage in taking over territory in the Mediterranean Sea, the scientists warn in the the journal Biological Invasions. One of the scientists was Prof. Bella S. Galil from the National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research in Haifa. 

The planned expansion, they say, “is sure to have a diverse range of effects, at local and regional scales, on both the biological diversity and the ecosystem goods and services of the Mediterranean Sea.”

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Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Turkey were among the representatives at the SafeMed course on the environmental risk of ballast water last month. The course was offered in Malta and is designed to emphasize the effective implementation of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention).

SafeMed is funded by a number of Mediterranean nations.  It is designed to encourage cooperation between members in maritime safety, security and the prevention of pollution and ecological damage from shipping. Ballast water exchanges are designed to facilitate safe and efficient shipping but if not carefully managed, they can spread invasive species around the world.

The invasion of the Black and Caspian Seas by North American comb jellyfish, for example, is a well-studied example of the harmful effects of bilge water exchanges. By the mid 1990s, North American comb jellyfish comprised up to 90% of the biomass in the Black Sea and has cost more than one billion US dollars in damage to local fisheries.

The damage caused by invasive species in ballast water can go both directions.

The zebra mussel invasion of North America, which has been estimated to cost up to 500 million US dollars per year, is believed to have come from the Black and Caspian Sea into North America via the ballast water of cargo ships in the Great Lakes.

Addressing the risks of ballast water invasive species will require international cooperation, a set of global standards and training of maritime workers on the implementation of these standards. SafeMed’s course is a step in the right direction.

Jellyfish Lake photo by Anaxibia (own work) CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL via Wikimedia Commons

More on the Mediterranean Sea:

Mediterranean Agency Could Avert Offshore Natural Disasters

Is the Mediterranean Sea Harboring a Giant Plastic Patch?

Dealing With Jellyfish Invasions off Israel and Lebanon Coasts

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Just a few years ago the blue-leafed wattle spread beyond the park’s boundaries to eight spots along the main route to Sorek. Each spot consisted of hundreds of trees.

According to America’s National Invasive Species Council, 42 percent of organisms on the Endangered Species List in the U.S. were pushed there by harmful interactions with invasive species. A study by INPA consultant and ecologist Jean-Marc Dufour-Dror revealed several dozen invasive plant species from abroad have taken root across the Israeli landscape.

Despite its relatively small size, Israel has remarkable biodiversity. Its four unique geographical zones host around 2,780 types of plants, some of which are native species that have thrived in Israel since Biblical times.

In Australia populations of the resilient blue-leafed wattle are naturally controlled through a predatory fungus. Since Israel lacks this fungus population control has proven more difficult.

Through a combination of chopping down the trees, injecting their trunks with pesticide and covering the surrounding area with plastic to prevent seeding from germinating, Israel has now almost completely eliminated the blue-leaf wattle.

The post Israel Triumphs Over Invasive Acacia Species appeared first on Green Prophet.

Meet Dr. Ruth Yahel, a marine ecologist for the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, who specializes in studying and protecting Israel’s Mediterranean marine environment. She said that the Med is “going through an enormous change, and that  50% of the fish now found there came originally from the Red Sea, via the Suez Canal. These new fish species include unwanted varieties, especially poisonous ones like the Box Fish (puffer).”

Some of these new species, she says, have resulted in the depletion and even disappearance of local indigenous species. Increasing operations of desalination facilities and the oil and gas production have also had an effect on the sea’s marine life.

Dr. Yahel by the sea she loves

Marine reserves

Consequences of the increasing use of desalination are still not fully known, she says, adding that “some of the smaller desalination plants discharge their briny residues back into the sea right on the coast and not further out to sea like the larger ones do.”

What was going on in the Mediterranean’s depths was virtually unknown to Israeli authorities until 2004, when a law was passed to conserve the sea’s marine environment.

Previously, only the engineering factors surrounding the exploration and production of undersea energy was taken into account.

She says that Noble Energy, the main undersea energy exploration company  off Israel’s coastline, along with Delek Energy’s Yam Tethys energy exploration company uses Nature Protection Authority maps when planning a drilling project to take environmental considerations into account.

There are certain sections of the Mediterranean set aside as nature reserves that are not to be used for commercial fishing, real estate development, or energy exploration. Dr. Yahel says that these include:

1. An area between Nahariya and Rosh Hanikra;
2. An area off the Carmel Coast;
3. The Sharon area, especially near the Poleg Stream Estuary;
4. The  Nitzanim area between Ashdod and Ashkelon (where a lot of Commercial fishermen still fish with what are known as ‘drag nets’).

We have nobody to learn from regarding preserving our section of the Mediterranean; but now at least 20% of the sea Israel borders on has been declared as nature reserves.

Under the sea

Wreckage of fishing boat at nearly 700 meters

Regarding current under sea exploration and mapping operations, including the recent Nautilus Sea Research expedition, Dr. Yahel has been involved in earlier dives, and notes that just off the coast in the beach community of  Mikmoret, where she works, a very beautiful coral reef was found at a depth of only 40 meters.

“Findings such as this make it even more important to have more adequate mapping of the undersea environment. A lot more interest has been occurring regarding marine research, and the mapping is needed, to make the public and governmental authorities more aware that the deeper areas of the sea need to be protected; especially in the 4 areas designated as protected areas.”

She said that Israel is a leader in the implementation of the 1976 and 1995 Barcelona Conventions for Protection of the Coastal Regions of the Mediterranean. One of many ways we can reduce trash, bottle buildup and junk mail is recycling.

Drag net damage

Despite this, a lot of damage from pollution and building projects is still continuing. Commercial fishing with drag nets, used at a depth of 40-100 meters, also causes considerable damage to the seabed and marine life. A lot of damage is done by Israeli fishermen, she says, and her organization is trying to find ways to scale down the amount of fishing done in this manner.

What the sea will look like in the next 20 – 30 years depends on a number of factors, she says, including an increased reliance on desalination (“we have no choice”), rising sea temperatures caused by global warming and other factors, the undersea energy projects, and, of course, pollution.

“One of the major marine life problems in recent years has been the large influx of various species of jellyfish, many of them from the Red Sea. In fact, the problem has become so severe that last year, entire bathing areas had to be closed due to so many of them coming ashore. Efforts are being made to clear and remove these creatures, which now have almost no natural enemies due to a depletion of fish species that used to prey on them,” she notes.

“Either we can improve the Med’s overall condition, or we will wind up losing control of the sea’s environment, which will have a major impact on us, from both a health as well as economic standpoint.”

:: Israel Nature and Parks Authority Univ. of Haifa – Marine Sciences

More articles about Mediterranean environmental issues:

Finders of the Titanic Help to Explore Mediterranean Sea Floor

New Hadera Desalination Plant May Help Restore Water to Lower Jordan River

Is the Mediterranean Harboring a Giant Plastic Garbage Patch?

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