From DW Documentary.

Invasive species threaten flora and fauna and can destroy ecological balance. However, combating these dangerous invaders is costly and requires unusual measures.

The EU list of invasive species includes 42 animal and 46 plant species. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified these unwanted intruders as one of six "climate killers," because they can throw entire ecosystems out of balance. According to research reports, invasive species cause around €400 billion worth of damage worldwide every year – from crop losses and the decline of native species to expensive control measures.

For Thomas Beissel, the fight against the Asian hornet has become almost a full-time job. A few years ago, the computer specialist switched to beekeeping and discovered his fascination with hornets. While the native giant wasp is strictly protected, its Asian sister presents a rapidly-spreading threat. This is because honeybees are one of the hornets’ main prey. Thomas Beissel is one of five full-time hornet hunters. He tries to combat the intruder using various methods. However, the predatory insects build their nests high up in trees, well hidden from prying eyes. Beissel therefore uses tiny GPS transmitters attached to captured hornets to locate the main nest.
Annegret Grimm-Seyfarth and her colleagues rely on the unique abilities of sniffer dogs. The use of dogs in species conservation is a relatively new field of activity. The biologist trains her four-legged sniffer dogs to track down invasive species such as the American mink, or exotic plants like Japanese knotweed and ragweed. In Switzerland, canines are now successfully used to find Japanese beetle larvae, an invasive beetle that can cause damage to vineyards and other crops in affected regions.

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