Texas Wildlife Alert: Australian Redclaw Crayfish Invasion

Texas has had its share of new residents over the years, and that is no different in the animal kingdom as invasive species are constantly being spotted and monitored to understand their potential impact to the natural ecosystem of the Lone Star State. Sometimes new creatures are introduced by the appropriate authorities because it is determined that their presence will bring more benefits than challenges.

Other times, like in the above article link, conservation and natural resources employees are caught completely by surprise, and investigations begin on how an outside lifeform was introduced into our environment.

Australian Crayfish Invasion Now Making An Impact In Texas

According to this KENS 5 article, the Australian redclaw crayfish is considered an aggressive crustacean species already in its native land of Australia and Papua New Guinea, so you can imagine the potential worry it may cause local scientists and members of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you probably stay very up to date on the major causes for concern in Texas. We are tasked with always leaving our natural settings better than we found them, so sometimes doing our part includes reporting anything that looks out of the ordinary.

Often times our duty is completed with a simple knocking over of a pile of stacked rocks, other times we have to be current on spotting red flags and claws.