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.

Guidance on prevention and pathways of introduction and/or spread Year
Guidance for interpretation of the CBD categories of pathways for the introduction of IAS 2020
Pathways for invasive alien wasps (Vespidae) 2021
Pathways for invasive alien ants 2021
Legal provisions on soil import 2018
Preventing the spread of IAS through the movement of topsoil, in particular in the context of large-scale infrastructure projects 2023
Invasive alien flatworms: Threats posed and potential for phytosanitary measures 2021
Biofouling management for recreational boating. Recommendations to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive aquatic species 2022
Trailered Boats: Preventing the spread of aquatic IAS (Poster) 2022
Local & Coastal Cruising: Preventing the spread of aquatic IAS (Poster) 2022
Long Distance Cruising: Preventing the spread of aquatic IAS (Poster) 2022
Shore-Based Cleaning: Preventing the spread of aquatic IAS (Poster) 2022
Combined poster: Preventing the spread of aquatic IAS 2022
Identification and surveillance of invasive alien species Year
High resolution illustrations: IAS of European Union concern
(Use authorised provided source is acknowledged, © European Commission, Artist: Massimiliano Lipperi)
2022
ID customs & surveillance: Acacia saligna 2020
ID customs & surveillance: Acridotheres tristis 2020
ID customs & surveillance: Alternanthera philoxeroides 2017
ID customs & surveillance: Arthurdendyus triangulatus 2020
ID customs & surveillance: Callosciurus erythraeus 2017
ID customs & surveillance: Faxonius (Orconectes) limosus 2018
ID customs & surveillance: Gunnera tincotoria 2017
ID customs & surveillance: Gymnocoronis spilanthoides 2020
ID customs & surveillance: Lampropeltis getula 2023
ID customs & surveillance: Myriophyllum aquaticum 2018
ID customs & surveillance: Myriophyllum heterophyllum 2018
ID customs & surveillance: Pennisetum setaceum 2018
ID customs & surveillance: Procambarus fallax f. virginalis 2017
ID customs & surveillance: Salvinia molesta 2020
ID customs & surveillance: Sciurus carolinensis 2018
ID customs & surveillance: Tamias sibericus 2017
ID customs & surveillance: Xenopus laevis 2023
ID surveillance: Faxonius (Orconectes) limosus 2018
ID surveillance: Faxonius (Orconectes) virilis 2018
ID surveillance: Myriophyllum aquaticum 2018
ID surveillance: Myriophylllum heterophyllum 2018
ID surveillance: Myocastor coypus 2018
ID surveillance: Ondatra zibethicus 2018
ID surveillance: Pacifastaus leniusculus 2018
ID surveillance: Procambarus clarkii 2018
ID surveillance: Procambarus fallax f. virginalis 2018
High resolution illustrations: ID surveillance
(Use authorised provided source is acknowledged, © European Commission, Artist: Massimiliano Lipperi)
2018
High resolution illustrations: Invasive alien snakes and frogs
(Use authorised provided source is acknowledged, © European Commission, Artist: Massimiliano Lipperi)
2023
Surveillance guidelines for IAS in the marine environment 2023
High resolution illustrations: Surveillance of marine IAS
(Use authorised provided source is acknowledged, © European Commission, Artist: Massimiliano Lipperi)
2023
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
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 2018
Humane management of vertebrate invasive alien species of European Union concern Year
Manual for the management of vertebrate invasive alien species of Union concern – incorporating animal welfare 2022
Appendices on management measures assessments 2022
Appendices on regional conditions 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Bulgarian 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Croatian 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Danish 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Dutch 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: English 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Estonian 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: French 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: German 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Greek 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Hungarian 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Italian 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Latvian 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Lithuanian 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Polish 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Portuguese 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Romanian 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Slovak 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Slovenian 2022
Brochure on the management of vertebrate IAS: Spanish 2022
Multi-language factsheets  2022
Database on EU case studies 2022
Report on EU case studies 2022
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