The Northern Snakehead essays

The Northern Snakehead essays The Northern snakehead....a modern day fox in the henhouse. The introduction of the snakehead species into the U.S. could become far more serious a problem than most people would like to believe. These fish well kill and eat anything that moves basically....and a lot of it. Entire marine ecosystems are at risk if these extreme predators are allowed to run rampant. All together there are 28 species of known snakeheads; three are indigenous to Africa, the other 25 to Asia. All are air breathers and can live on land for at least three days. All 28 are voracious predators and truly viscous. Some types even kill more than they can eat. One species, the bullseye snakehead, has not only established itself into southern Florida waterways but is thriving! However, there has been little evidence of the impact on local wildlife. Fortunately this species is restricted to water temperatures of 40 degrees and higher, so cannot survive the winters of Northern Florida. We have not seen, and we dont anticipate, that the presence of the snakehead in Florida will have a catastrophic impact, said Shafland. But its like throwing trash out of a car window; it cant be good. Unfortunately, the northern snakehead is nothing like its cousin in Florida. Basically the bullseye is the Chihuahua of the family and its northern cousin is the Pit Bull. Around ninety percent of the northern snakeheads diet consists of other types of fish and they grow at an amazing rate; fingerling to twenty four inches in under a year! They can survive anywhere from freezing to 85 or so degrees Fahrenheit, and they can survive under the ice all winter long. They can grow to over four feet long and have rows of sharp teeth. In short, a well designed, efficient predator. In its native country of Burma, it is known as freshwater shark. With the discovery of one of these real life monsters in Maryland, th...