Intentional Releases Gone Bad Shipments of the European oyster (Ostrea edulis) were brought from Washington to France to supplement a low native stock. The virus Bonamia ostrea was thought to have accompanied these shipments and ended up destroying the remaining native stock of the European oyster in France. Read about other intentional releases gone bad...
	A Few of Massachusetts' Most Wanted: European Green Crab (aka Carcinus maenas) Asian Shore Crab (aka Hemigrapsus sanguineus) Lace Bryozoan (aka Membranipora membranacea) Find out more about these and other Massachusetts invasive species on the What are they? page.

The Mitten Crab, Feathery Caulerpa, the Spiny Water Flea all sound like cute, harmless creatures. And, when they are in their home environment, they are. But, when they are brought into New England and released into our waterways, they can cause problems – BIG PROBLEMS!

An invader on the way? Eriocheir sinensis Chinese Mitten Crab

Believe it or not, but our native plants and animals are in danger of being run out of town by exotic critters. Exotic plants and animals that are released into new environments are often called invasive species. Not all exotic critters are harmful, but it is often difficult to tell which ones will cause trouble before they are released into the environment. Therefore, it is better to play it safe and not release any exotic plants or animals.

The sale of exotic plants and animals is big business! Millions of critters are moved around the globe each year. You may even own an exotic pet. Exotic plants and animals are interesting, often beautiful creatures, and lots of fun to own. They can make great companions. However, in order to protect our environment and the animals that live here, we need to be responsible pet owners and not release our pets.

Please explore our website to learn more about invasive species and what you can do to help protect the environment from invasive species.

Oh, and keep checking back – we’re adding to the website every day!