A newly-aired ABC program proposing that Australians “turn our unwanted ecological trash into desirable culinary gold” may fall short of offering practical solutions, an invasive species specialist said.
But it undeniably sparks an important conversation on the broader issue involving invasive pests, which cost the economy billions of dollars per year to manage.
On Tuesday, the national broadcaster aired Eat The Invaders, a six-part series, online. It showcases a host of meals which can be made from Australia’s various invasive and introduced species, including carp, deer, rabbit and cane toads — all of which pose a huge threat to the Aussie landscape.
Dr Tiana Pirtle, conservation officer with Invasive Species Council, said though it’s clearly framed as an entertainment program, it does highlight the devastating impact invasive and introduced threats have on Australia’s fragile ecosystems.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Pirtle said that eating invasive species, while an intriguing idea to address ecological imbalances, it’s not the most effective or sustainable solution for several reasons.
‘Eating the problem’ impractical for a wide range of reasons
One of the key challenges is that to significantly reduce their population numbers, we would need to kill millions of these individuals — something that is neither feasible nor ecologically responsible. It also stands to increase demand for the very threat we’re trying to eradicate.
The ABC came under fire for suggesting one way to eradicate cane toads is to eat them. Source: ABC
“The ‘eat the problem idea’ is not necessarily a new one, and it is quite appealing on the surface, because invasive species, we know, especially here in Australia, are a major driver of extinctions,” Pirtle told Yahoo.
“It’s a massive problem here and around the world, and it’s an extremely tricky, complex issue to manage — which is why we’re still dealing with it.
“So, this idea that we can commercialise and control some of these invasive species and eat our way out of the problem sounds quite appealing. But it encourages greater harvest of the species we want to get rid of, using what might be considered a wasted resource otherwise.”
Pirtle argued we’d be “setting up a commercial enterprise that now has a vested interest” in keeping that animal in the landscape, which is at odds with “what we really want to do.”
She thinks eating the problem “might not be the innovative solution” the title suggests, but said “what we’re doing now hasn’t really been working”, meaning “we need new technologies and more research” into how are we going to manage the worsening issue in the future.
Cane toads are highly invasive and toxic. They run amok in plague proportions in Australia.
The toll invasive threats take on Australia’s fragile landscape
While eating invasive species, such as cane toads, might seem like a quick fix, the process could inadvertently cause more harm than good, too. Removing large numbers from ecosystems could disrupt food chains or other ecological dynamics. Additionally, some invasive species have complex roles in their new environments, so mass removal might have unintended consequences on native species or the overall ecosystem health.
In Australia, the issue costs the economy around $1.5 billion annually. Invasive species damage agricultural industries, disrupt ecosystems, and place immense pressure on biodiversity.
They often outcompete native species for resources, leading to the decline or extinction of indigenous flora and fauna.
The problem is particularly significant Down Under because invasive species often lack natural predators in Australia, allowing their populations to grow rapidly and spread across vast areas. This disrupts agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and environmental health, affecting both urban and rural communities.
With thousands of non-native species impacting ecosystems across the country, addressing the problem requires coordinated efforts, significant funding, and long-term strategies.
Eradication is difficult, especially for species that have been established for decades, making containment and control strategies more viable but still challenging. The costs of monitoring and enforcement to prevent further spread can strain resources.
“I think the ABC do a fabulous job of framing the issue. It’s an entertainment show, so it’s not delving into the complex, nuanced issues around how we manage invasive species and what some of the more serious consequences could be from promoting these commercial markets, but they do touch on some of the issues,” Pirtle said.
“I encourage everyone to watch the show. I think it is a great conversation starter. But I would also encourage everyone who does watch it to delve into the issue a bit deeper, and really think about some of the consequences.”
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