WITH names like 鈥渄evil鈥檚 weed鈥� and 鈥渇amine weed鈥�, perhaps it鈥檚 little wonder that these invasive plant species threaten to disrupt one of the great wonders of the natural world: the annual migration of 2 million animals across the savannahs of eastern Africa.
That鈥檚 the grim message from a survey of the spread of invasive plants in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, focusing on six species that pose the most serious threat to the migrating animals.
Initially planted for decoration at tourist lodges in Kenya鈥檚 Masai Mara National Reserve, the invasive plant species have spread into savannah grasslands, displacing natural vegetation (Koedoe, ).
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This is bad news for the migrating beasts that depend on native plants for food. 鈥淩ampant invasions in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem will certainly reduce forage production, leading to drastic declines in the populations of wildebeest, zebras and other large grazing mammals,鈥� says Arne Witt of CABI Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. 鈥淭hese invasive plants are toxic or unpalatable, meaning there鈥檚 less forage available for wildlife to feed on.鈥�
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淪erengeti invasion鈥�
