Like the walking catfish before it this one will not remain long under biologists watchful eye and some chemical warfare.

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I'm surprised to not hear calls to use the same methods on illegal aliens that we're using on the snakehead. Quarantine the known area, poison everything in it, and then the good species will eventually repopulate the sterile area.

For example, take the fence between Mexico and Arizona and extend it to surround the entire state, then nuke it. People from the surrounding states will eventually move back in.

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“But an infestation, even by an accused monster, doesn’t necessarily constitute calamity.”

Tis true, but Lordy, them snakehead monsters are ugly. The oddities of nature and its unpredictable spread never cease to amaze. Never thought I’d see a big ole ‘gator sunning itself on a bank of the Little Maumelle River, but I have. Contrary to the fears of nearby homeowners, nary a child has been attacked or et yet by a ‘gator. Don't have to like 'em being there, though. Likewise for the snakeheads.

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Every species was an exotic when it first arrived.

Armadillos were an exotic when I was a kid. You had to go nearly to Texarkana to see one. Now they are all over the Ozarks and beyond. Any kid college age on down has grown up with them laying on their back on the sides of most roads.

Species migration is one of the most common indicators of climate change. Other situations can encourage such migration such as eliminating a predator which allows species expansion.

Don't get me wrong, the snakehead was introduced by humans and not aided by climate but my point is the area will adapt to the new species and in 20 years no one will consider it exotic.

Such as people thinking Kudzu is natural to Arkansas.

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Max you sure that's not a picture of our very own vote caging little Timmy Griffin? Sure looks like him. But the name 'snakehead' sure fits our cager Timmy to a T.

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LOL! Sound Policy. I think Griffin's eyes are a different color.

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The eyes change color depending on the environment, but if you catch the Snakehead Griffin with a searchlight they shine a scary crimson red.

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In the 1960s, we ran, terrified, with our hair on fire as biologists warned us that the walking catfish was on the march, in its legions, into every body of water larger than a teacup in the Rackensack. I believe the walker not only could run faster than Carl Lewis but that it also was given to barking like a bluetick hound.

I think the hellish Summer of 1980 sent 'em back to whatever benighted place they came from.

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Roland,

I think liberals like you should form a group to go to the Arizona - Mexican border to welcome the drug cartels to the US. You could hand them cookies and bottled water as they enter the country. If you happen to be shot, raped, or dismembered by the drug cartels and Mexican gangs, it's no worse than what the citizens of Arizona put up with on a daily basis.

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Hey, if I had come from somewhere else, I would have gone back in 1980.

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We already welcome the drug cartels with millions of dollars in drug revenues and assault rifles for them to buy with it.

If we legalized marijuana and drove cheap Mexican pot out of the market, and made dealers at gun shows follow the same background checks as dealers in stores, the problem would greatly diminish.

But that makes too much sense to work for conservatives. They'd rather piss away billions of tax payer dollars occupying the border like it was Iraq.

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If the snakehead survives here, we may some day think it is normal. This will be after what we now consider as normal has long since passed. Just because kudzu is not a rare sight (espceially in the Delta) does not make it a welcomed member of the ecosystem. And anyone who thinks kudzu is native hasn't been paying much attention. Many of our common plants and animals are indeed exotic invasives. Just because they're everywhere does not lessen them as a threat to our environment. Here are a few and many people will think that they're native. Mimosa, privet, chinaberry, tree of heaven, vinca, photinia, stinkin' pears, starlings, english sparrows, nandina, wisteria are all exotic invasives. These guys have only been here for a couple hundred years.

An invasive species is one which reproduces rapidly, often at an early age, and has little or no natural controls such as predators, diseases or parasites. This can cause it to quickly overtake an ecosystem and replace native flora and fauna. Second only to habitat destruction, invasive species are one of the greatest threats to our environment.

The rapid rise of invasives is largely due to human activities. Pass-along plants are indeed passed along to "friends" because they're coming up everywhere in the giver's yard. People visiting foreign places want to bring back a plant or (gasp) a frog/lizard/whatever from their trip. Some things hitchhike and are moved unintentionally.

We have seen movement of native species recently. Yes, armardillos are traditionally a more southwestern native species. Another invasive native is the baccharis (salt bush) that's growing all over the freeway now. It's the large round shrub that's covered with white flowers in fall and followed by feathery seed heads which become airborne like dandelion seeds. These only showed up in Central Arkansas over the past 20 years. Warmer climates could assist in movement of some southern species.

The biological danger of all of this is the NAFTAization of our planet. I'm really not looking forward to our Ozarks going from an oak/hickory forest to a mimosa/pear forest.

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Several years ago I caught a bowfin in the Arkansas river near lock & dam 13. The fish had a wide mouth dagger like teeth & a primitive tail like the snakehead, the eyes looked mammalian & aware-- scared the devil out of me. I went to the library & found a photo and description of it & was relieved it wasn't an escapee from Arkansas nuclear one.

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"I'm really not looking forward to our Ozarks going from an oak/hickory forest to a mimosa/pear forest."

But they have such pretty flowers! ; )

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There is no way in hell that I will ever think that thing is normal.

How did this thread go from that monster fish contraption to illegal aliens in arizona, drug cartels at the border, etc.?? Is he responsible for this? I wouldnt doubt it if he were.

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Amanita, a buddy of mine calls mimosas "Avon trees" from that hideous sweet reeking they poof out all summer.

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I'm with ya'll on them goddam mimosa and the wisteria plant of death! Nandinas, too.

My grandpaw had a chinaberry tree in his yard in the '40s. It produced nice little green missiles for popping a buddy upside the head in the spring but lordy how them berries stank when they turned white and wrinkly and fermented.

If we allow the Transplanted Viper Griffin to ex-cape into the wild as our congersman next thing you know our state will be overrun by the Simian Faced Mitch McConnell lizard and the Spray Tan Boehner variant of the coyote.

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LOL, Claude!

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