ABSTRACT

Vertebrate species have been introduced to almost all parts of the world for thousands of years. Within the United States and its territories alone, over 1000 vertebrate species have been introduced since the early sailing ships explored the world. This includes at least 86 species of mammals, 127 species of birds, 126 species of reptiles, 53 species of amphibians, and over 673 species of fish (Witmer and Fuller 2011). Many of these species were native to the United States, but were moved to novel regions, often unintentionally or intentionally by humans. While invasive vertebrates have been introduced to all parts of the world, in this book, we focus on introduced terrestrial vertebrates in the United States and its territories, and the intention is to provide an overview of the complexity and challenges associated with managing invasive species within the United States. Often, the management of invasive species and the prevention of new species becoming established is largely a function of the regulatory framework established within a specific country. In this book, although historical management successes and failures are discussed, the focus is on current effective management options and potential future developments to minimize the effects of invasive species and prevent their spread into new areas.