Spotting Alien Invasive Species

Alien or exotic species are species that have been introduced deliberately or accidentally to regions beyond their natural distribution. The subset of these species that have become problematic in their introduced environments are termed ‘invasive’, and the issue of invasive species is of growing concern, globally. In India, the rapid proliferation of numerous exotic invasive species of plants and animals poses a serious threat to biodiversity and can have severe impacts on the country’s agricultural economy. Through SPAIS, we aim to document the distribution of several common alien invasive species across India. We invite you to join us in a collaborative campaign to map these intruders and in doing so help to obtain important clues to their management and control. The campaign will focus on a selected subset of known and easily identifiable alien invasive species. (See the ‘SPAIS list’ below, or download the pamphlet.)