Invasive species including snakes and lizards are slipping unnoticed into northern Europe in vast shipments of cut flowers and potted plants, researchers have warned. Continental European snakes, geckos and Italian wall lizards are among the animals making their way to the region in potted olive trees destined for gardens and green space, according to the study published on Friday in the journal Bioscience.
The species can cause extensive damage to food crops and the native environment, the paper said, citing the threat invasive snakes are posing to ecosystems on previously snake-free Mediterranean islands like Majorca.
The researchers warned that reptiles are "just the tip of the iceberg". Insects, fungi, spiders and agricultural pests are also being imported into the UK and northern Europe in cut flowers and other ornamental plants.
Despite regulations and border checks, the volume of fast-moving plant shipments makes it difficult to detect species.
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