Landowners issue warning after 'nasty' growth takes over entire local area: 'You could make a nightmare film out of it'

Landowners are calling for action against invasive cactus species in Queensland and surrounding areas in Australia.

What's happening?

ABC News reported on aggressive Queensland cacti in January and again in March. The harrisia cactus, jumping cholla, and coral cactus are invasive species that were introduced as potted plants. 

Peter Whip, a co-owner of Leander cattle and goat station, called coral cacti an "atomic bomb of weed." But his land is also infested with jumping cholla, which he said is "equally as nasty."

He told ABC News: "It went from that one pot plant like 60 years ago to now being over potentially 100,000 acres."

A former owner of Leander, Elizabeth "Thumper" Clark, told ABC News: "You could make a nightmare film out of it." 

Ken Stower, a landowner in the Captains Mountain, said, "It's gone from hundreds to thousands of plants everywhere," referring to the harrisia cactus. Stower had to euthanize a badly wounded prize bull because of a harrisia cactus. 

Another Queensland rancher, Sally McKeering, had to have surgery to remove thorns from her wrist. And the harrisia had "pretty much crippled" some of her horses. 

The Whips expressed similar experiences. They said cows had been pierced by deep thorns. These cactuses cripple whole regions, threatening the livelihood and safety of Queensland ranchers. 

Why are these cacti so dangerous?

The way they spread is indomitable. Seeds attach to animals, travel on the wind, or drift down waterways. 

Many worry these could spread to Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, harming flora and fauna that depend on the lake, namely the countless bird species. Endangered and rare species live there too, like the night parrot, grey falcon, greater bilby, yellow-footed rock wallaby, and letter-winged kite, per the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely 💯 It depends on the species 🤔 I don't know 🤷 No — leave nature alone 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Invasive species deplete resources and displace native species. This decreases biodiversity and disrupts delicate ecosystems. It leads to species extinction, food and water insecurity, and accelerated climate change. Maintaining healthy biodiversity is key to a cool planet. 

What's being done about Australia's invasive cacti?

According to ABC, a Biosecurity Queensland spokesperson said in a statement that "harrisia's eradication is not feasible due to its biology, resilience, and the extent to which it has spread."

For the harrisia cactus, ranchers use herbicides and mealybugs. Researchers are also exploring the potential of a stem-feeding fly from Argentina. The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and the AgForce lobby group nominated harrisia as a weed of national significance. Hopefully, this will attract funding to find a solution.

Those battling jumping cholla and coral cactus have used the cactus-eating cochineal bug and sprayed water-based chemicals. While these efforts reduce the spread, none have stopped it. 

Supporting research efforts and properly destroying cactuses are the best ways to stop the spread and save the area.

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