When invasive red swamp crayfish showed up in Stephen's Pond on the University of Missouri campus, they posed a threat to the area's ecosystem. So local conservationists found a creative way to turn the problem into a solution. Instead of tossing the crayfish after removal, they donated them to the MU Raptor Rehabilitation Project, where they can be used as food for injured birds.
According to KRCG-TV, staff from the Missouri Department of Conservation worked with professors from MU's departments of Natural Resources and Landscape Services to remove the invaders. The MDC trapped and removed more than 3,000 crayfish from the pond. The animals were frozen and donated to the rehab center to feed raptors like hawks and owls.
"Feed 'em to the birds," said the Missouri Department of Conservation in a Facebook post.
Though native to the southern U.S. and northeastern Mexico, red swamp crayfish have become invasive in many parts of the country through releases from the pet trade, food markets, or bait buckets. Once introduced, these invasive species can cause widespread damage by burrowing into shorelines and pond walls, destabilizing banks and infrastructure. Their activity also disrupts the food web and water clarity, making it harder for native species to thrive.
Getting rid of them is important, but figuring out what to do with them afterward isn't always easy. Using them as bird food allows the crawfish to be used in an environmentally helpful way.
This kind of program also reduces the chance that removed animals end up back in the environment. When invasive species are tossed in the trash or released into nearby water, they can find new ways to spread. By turning the crayfish into meals, the rehab center helps make sure the removal effort isn't wasted. It's a low-cost, no-waste approach that's already having a positive impact.
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Crayfish aren't the only invaders causing trouble. Other states have dealt with everything from invasive plants to giant snails. In these cases, these species can wipe out native animals or change entire ecosystems. Finding ways to reuse or repurpose them, like this, can make control efforts more effective and longer-lasting.
One commenter under the report wrote, "Where did these crawdads come from? Are they because someone released a pet store crawdad? Why isn't the pond being poisoned to prevent the spread of the crawdads."
The MDC staff continues to remove crawfish and collect data.
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