It is considered among the hundred worst invasive species in Europe, it has a devastating impact on the biodiversity of the ecosystems in which it is present due to its voracity and ability to adapt and is now widespread in all the Lombardy provinces: the Louisiana red crayfish (the scientific name is Procambarus clarkiibut is better known as killer shrimp) has been sighted in the Valle del Lanza Parkbetween Varesotto and Comasco.
The news was spread via the social channels of the Plis (protected area of supra-municipal interest) which includes i municipalities of Malnate and Vedano Olona (in the province of Varese) and those of Bizzarone, Solbiate con Cagno, Valmorea and Rodero in the province of Como: “Unfortunately, today we received the first report of the presence of the Louisiana crayfish in the park territory, near the wetland at the Mills of Gurone – we read in the post published on Facebook – Procambarus is one of the worst threats to the conservation of ecosystemsseriously impacting both the small vertebrates it feeds on and the habitat it affects by digging deep burrows underground and feeding on algae and aquatic plants”.
Hence the appeal to those who frequent the large green area between the Adda and Ticino rivers: “In order to limit its spread as much as possible, we will do everything possible – they guarantee from the park – but everyone’s commitment is necessary for the report your presence at number 340.8294405″.
Native to the south-eastern part of the United States and north-eastern Mexico, the Louisiana red crayfish – so called due to the red, orange or reddish-brown color that characterizes its entire body, including the claws, covered with spines – is It is now found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. As for Europe, it was introduced in Spain in 1973 in a commercialization attempt and is now present in 13 countries.
“Great efforts have already been made, at a Lombard level and beyond, to eradicate this invasive species and at the same time reintroduce the native river crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes)” explains Dario Kian of Ersaf (Regional Agriculture and Forestry Services Agency). The native crayfish is an “umbrella species” that lives in good quality environments, unlike the killer crayfish which survives even contaminated agents and therefore environments hostile to other animal and plant species. Precisely because of this resistance to contaminated factors it is not even possible to eliminate the Louisiana crayfish by eating it because it could be dangerous. The only solution is therefore to fish them, even using special traps, and then eliminate them by incineration.
