Invasive Alien Species - external resources
When dealing with Invasive Alien Species (IAS), preventing their introduction and spread will always be the most cost-effective method. If prevention has failed, eradication via early detection and rapid response (EDRR) species is advised – to achieve this, an effective surveillance system is required. When a species is widespread, and eradication not considered feasible, competent authorities may consider long-term management.
The materials below are designed to support any stakeholder involved in IAS prevention, surveillance, identification and management. The themes within the work are applicable to all IAS, but there is a particular focus on species of European Union concern. This is because IUCN provides technical and scientific support to the European Commission for implementation of the EU Regulation on IAS (No. 1143/2014). A user-friendly introduction to this Regulation may be found here.
The resources listed here, although often hosted on external websites, were either produced by IUCN, or completed with the oversight of IUCN, and provide comprehensive and up-to-date information on the ways to prevent, manage and mitigate the impacts of IAS.
Cabomba caroliniana
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
Gunnera tinctoria
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
Lampropeltis getula californiae
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
Lepomis gibbosus
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
Nyctereutes procyonoides
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
Procambarus virginalis
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
Pycnonotus cafer
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
Rugulopteryx okamurae
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
Vespa velutina nigrithorax
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
Xenopus laevis
Photo: EC | Massimiliano Lipperi
ID & Surveillance
2023Management
| Management measures and costs for invasive alien species | |||
| Species link | Common name | Group | Year |
| Acacia saligna | Golden wreath rattle | Plant | 2018 |
| Acridotheres tristis | Common myna | Animal | 2017 |
| Ailanthus altissima | Tree of Heaven | Plant | 2017 |
| Alopochen aegyptiaca | Egyptian goose | Animal | 2017 |
| Alternanthera philoxeroides | Alligator weed | Plant | 2017 |
| Ambrosia confertiflora | Burr ragweed | Plant | 2018 |
| Ameiurus melas | Black bullhead | Animal | 2019 |
| Andropogon virginicus | Broomsedge bluestem | Plant | 2018 |
| Asclepias syriaca | Common milkweed | Plant | 2017 |
| Axis axis | Axis deer/chital | Animal | 2019 |
| Baccharis halimifolia | Eastern baccharis | Plant | 2019 |
| Cabomba caroliniana | Fanwort | Plant | 2019 |
| Callosciurus spp., Sciurus spp., Eutamias sp. | Squirrels and chipmunks | Animal | 2024 |
| Cardiospermum grandiflorum | Balloon vine | Plant | 2017 |
| Castor canadensis | American beaver | Animal | 2021 |
| Celastrus orbiculatus | Oriental bittersweet | Plant | 2021 |
| Channa argus | Northern snakehead | Animal | 2019 |
| Channa spp. | Northern snakehead | Animal | 2017 |
| Cinnamomum camphora | Camphor tree | Plant | 2017 |
| Cortaderia jubata | Purple pampas grass | Plant | 2018 |
| Corvus splendens | Indian house crow | Animal | 2019 |
| Crassula helmsii | New Zealand pigmyweed | Plant | 2023 |
| Ehrharta calycina | Perennial veldt grass | Plant | 2018 |
| Eichhornia (Pontederia) crassipes | Water hyacinth | Plant | 2019 |
| Elodea nuttallii | Nuttall’s waterweed | Plant | 2017 |
| Eriocheir sinensis | Chinese mitten crab | Animal | 2019 |
| Faxonius, Procambarus, Pacifastacus spp. | Crayfish spp. | Animal | 2019 |
| Flatworms including Arthurdendyus triangulatus | New Zealand, Obama, New Guinea and Shovel-headed flatworms | Animal | 2023 |
| Gambusia spp. | Eastern & Western Gambusia | Animal | 2022 |
| Gunnera tinctoria | Chilean rhubarb | Plant | 2017 |
| Gymnocoronis spilanthoides | Senegal tea plant | Plant | 2017 |
| Hakea sericea | Silky hakea | Plant | 2018 |
| Hemigrapsus sanguineus | Asian shore crab | Animal | 2019 |
| Heracleum spp. | Hogweed spp. | Plant | 2019 |
| Humulus scandens | Japanese hop | Plant | 2018 |
| Hydrocotyle ranunculoides | Floating pennywort | Plant | 2019 |
| Hygrophila polysperma | Indian swampweed | Plant | 2017 |
| Impatiens glandulifera | Himalayan balsam | Plant | 2017 |
| Lagarosiphon major | Curly waterweed | Plant | 2019 |
| Lepomis gibbosus | Pumpkinseed | Animal | 2017 |
| Lespedeza cuneata | Chinese bushclover | Plant | 2018 |
| Limnoperna fortunei | Golden mussel | Animal | 2017 |
| Lithobates catesbeianus | American bullfrog | Animal | 2019 |
| Ludwigia spp. | Water primrose & floating primrose willow | Plant | 2019 |
| Lygodium japonicum | Vine-like fern | Plant | 2018 |
| Lysichiton americanus | American skunk cabbage | Plant | 2019 |
| Microstegium vimineum | Japanese stiltgrass | Plant | 2017 |
| Morone americana | White perch | Animal | 2018 |
| Myriophyllum heterophyllum | Broadleaf watermilfoil | Plant | 2017 |
| Myriophyllum spp. | Broadleaf watermilfoil & parrot’s feather | Plant | 2019 |
| Nasua nasua | Coati | Animal | 2019 |
| Nyctereutes procyonoides | Raccoon dog | Animal | 2017 |
| Ondatra zibethicus | Muskrat | Animal | 2017 |
| Parthenium hysterophorus | Whitetop weed | Plant | 2019 |
| Pennisetum setaceum | Fountain grass | Plant | 2017 |
| Perccottus glenii | Amur sleeper | Animal | 2019 |
| Perna viridis | Asian green mussel | Animal | 2018 |
| Persicaria perfoliata | Asiatic tearthumb | Plant | 2019 |
| Pheretimoid earthworms | Jumping worms – primarily Amynthas spp. | Animal | 2023 |
| Pistia stratiotes | Water lettuce | Plant | 2017 |
| Prosopis juliflora | Mesquite | Plant | 2018 |
| Pseudorasbora parva | Stone moroko | Animal | 2019 |
| Pterois miles: Produced by the RELIONMED-LIFE project | Common lionfish | Animal | 2020 |
| Pueraria montana var. lobata | Kudzu vine | Plant | 2019 |
| Pycnonotus cafer | Red-vented bulbul | Animal | 2019 |
| Rapana venosa | Rapana whelk | Animal | 2019 |
| Reynoutria spp. | Knotweeds | Plant | 2023 |
| Rugulopteryx okamurae | Okamura’s brown alga | Plant | 2020 |
| Salvinia molesta | Salvinia moss | Plant | 2017 |
| Schizoporella japonica | Orange ripple bryozoan | Animal | 2019 |
| Snakes including Lampropeltis getula | Multiple snake species | Animal | 2023 |
| Solenopsis spp. | Fire ants | Animal | 2022 |
| Threskiornis aethiopicus | Sacred ibis | Animal | 2019 |
| Trachemys scripta | Pond slider | Animal | 2019 |
| Triadica sebifera | Chinese tallow tree | Plant | 2018 |
| Trichosurus vulpecula | Common brushtail possum | Animal | 2017 |
| Vespa velutina nigrithorax | Asian hornet | Animal | 2019 |
| Wasmannia auropunctata | Little fire ant | Animal | 2022 |
| Xenopus laevis | African clawed frog | Animal | 2024 |
| Managing invasive alien species to protect pollinators | Year | |
| Managing IAS to protect wild pollinators | 2020 | |
| Factsheet: Managing IAS to protect wild pollinators | 2020 | |
| Invasive alien plants most harmful to pollinators in the EU and their management focusing on non-chemical methods | 2023 | |
| Managing invasive alien species in marine environments, including offshore islands | Year |
| Management Options for Marine IAS | 2023 |
| Guidelines for invasive species planning and management on islands | 2018 |
| Directives relatives à la planification et à la gestion des espèces envahissantes dans les îles | 2018 |
| Guía para la planificación y gestión de especies invasoras en islas | 2018 |
| Invasive alien species partly native to the European Union | ||
| Species link | Common name | Year |
| Apis mellifera | European honey bee | 2019 |
| Arion vulgaris | Iberian slug | 2020 |
| Asterias rubens | Common starfish | 2019 |
| Bombus terrestris subsp. sassaricus | Bumblebee | 2020 |
| Centaurea diluta | North African knapweed | 2019 |
| Cercopagis pengoi | Fishhook waterflea | 2019 |
| Cordylophora caspia | European fouling hydroid | 2019 |
| Crocidura russula | Greater white-toothed shrew | 2019 |
| Dikerogammarus villosus | Killer shrimp | 2019 |
| Dreissena polymorpha | Zebra mussel | 2019 |
| Hemimysis anomala | Bloody red shrimp | 2019 |
| Lepus europaeus | European hare | 2019 |
| Myodes glareolus | Bank vole | 2019 |
| Natrix maura | Viperine snake | 2019 |
| Neogobius melanostomus | Round goby | 2019 |
| Oryctolagus cuniculus | European rabbit | 2019 |
| Pelophylax ridibundus | Eurasian marsh frog | 2019 |
| Podarcis siculus | Italian wall lizard | 2019 |
| Rumex alpinus | Monk’s rhubarb | 2019 |
| Silurus glanis | European catfish | 2019 |
| Telekia speciosa | Heart-leaved ox eye | 2019 |
| Thaumetopoea processiona | Oak processionary moth | 2019 |