CONCLUSION
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The United States is experiencing a dramatic increase in invasive crayfish populations.
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This animal poses a threat to native species, aquatic vegetation and habitats.
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Lake Tahoe, Lake of the Woods, Crater, Lake Mead, and Lake Michigan are home to millions of crayfish.
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Authorities want to regulate their use as fishing bait and allow people to catch and export them.
With just a few weeks left in summer, millions of people are heading to lakes across the country to enjoy the final days of the season.
But behind the beauty of some of these bodies of water, an invasive species is quietly spreading.
A Portuguese man-of-war warning has been issued in Myrtle Beach after strong currents washed the venomous wildlife ashore.
Across the United States, there is a dramatic increase in invasive crayfish populations that threaten native species, aquatic vegetation, and habitats.
The photo shows a red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) near a lake.
For example, in Lake Tahoe, the crayfish population has exploded in recent decades. Estimates suggest the invasive signal crayfish population has increased from approximately 56 million in the 1960s to 240–280 million today.
Wildlife managers are now working hard to curb the crayfish population's growth as they alter shorelines and aquatic habitats.
A rare, nearly extinct wild horse has been born at the Bronx Zoo.
And Lake Tahoe isn't the only such lake. According to WorldAtlas, invasive crayfish have been found in several other large lakes, including Lake of the Woods, Crater Lake, Lake Mead, and Lake Michigan.
Several species of invasive crayfish are common in the United States, including the rusty crayfish and the signal crayfish. Although these species are native to some regions of the country, they can become extremely dangerous if introduced into ecosystems where they are not naturally found.
There is a crayfish on the dry river bottom.
The spread of these species has been linked to human activities, including the release of unused fishing bait, aquarium waste, aquaculture, and deliberate introduction.
Signal crayfish were introduced to Lake Tahoe in the late 1800s, partly as a food source for farmed trout and also for human consumption.
Sex-obsessed spotted lanternflies are looking for love as mating season heats up in the Northeast and Midwest.
In the Great Lakes region, rusty crayfish, native to the Ohio River basin, have spread throughout much of the region, competing with native crayfish species for food and shelter.
They are also known to consume large amounts of aquatic vegetation. This can lead to habitat loss for fish and other wildlife.
A swamp crayfish crawls along the shore of a lake.
In Lake Tahoe, signal crayfish feed on aquatic plants, algae, and other organisms, altering the lake's food chain.
Scientists are studying their role in changes in algal and native invertebrate communities.
The greatest concern is that invasive crayfish can act as predators, herbivores, competitors, and ecosystem "engineers." They can consume vegetation and other organisms, compete with native species, and physically disrupt the integrity of the lakebed.
A gray wolf has been spotted in Sequoia National Park for the first time in more than 100 years.
Across the country, legislators and state conservation agencies are focusing their efforts primarily on prevention and population control. This includes restricting the possession and transport of invasive crayfish, regulating their use as fishing bait, and permitting targeted capture and removal.
However, in lakes where invasive crayfish are already well established, their complete eradication is considered an extremely difficult task.
Original article: Invasive crayfish are spreading across America and taking over American lakes.