kong
05-02-2012, 07:46 PM
Is the Invasion of Cannibal Shrimp a Serious Threat?
COMMENTARY | Hearing the term "cannibal shrimp" causes me to start thinking about giant, killer shrimp that prey on humans. The movies "Piranha 3D" or "Attack of Killer Tomatoes" come to mind. In reality, the term refers to the Asian tiger shrimp that can be 13 inches long. Furthermore, these monster shrimp eat smaller versions of its own kind. Yet, how worried should we be about these cannibal shrimp? In 2011, the amount of cannibal shrimp was around "10 times" more than it was in 2010. In addition, the Asian tiger shrimp are resilient and have an "advantage" over native shrimp "when competing for food resources." This unbalanced competition could be damaging to the marine ecosystem. Furthermore, the U.S. Geological Survey website says tiger shrimp could have viral diseases and transmit these ailments to the native population. Then, there is the basic concern of how these cannibalistic shrimp made their way into U.S. waters. Usually, the Asian tiger shrimps are native to the Indo-Pacific, Asian and Australian waters. Yet, now the species has been popping up along the coastal waters of North Carolina all the way to Texas. It's possible the "jumbo shrimp" invasion might be due to an incident in 1998 when, according to International Business Times, "approximately 2,000 cannibal shrimp escaped from an aquaculture facility in South Carolina." More testing is needed to determine where the cannibal shrimp are coming from. On the bright side, the cannibal shrimp are consumable and delicious. Yet, before you get out your fork and scampi sauce, this so-called invasion of giant shrimp could just be a one-time spike. As for now, the USGS claims the impact of the Asian tiger shrimp on the native shrimp is "uncertain." As scientists do more research, the threat of tiger shrimp may become more defined. In the meantime, I think the entire situation has some movie potential. Perhaps, "Invasion of the Cannibal Shrimp" is an appropriate title.
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COMMENTARY | Hearing the term "cannibal shrimp" causes me to start thinking about giant, killer shrimp that prey on humans. The movies "Piranha 3D" or "Attack of Killer Tomatoes" come to mind. In reality, the term refers to the Asian tiger shrimp that can be 13 inches long. Furthermore, these monster shrimp eat smaller versions of its own kind. Yet, how worried should we be about these cannibal shrimp? In 2011, the amount of cannibal shrimp was around "10 times" more than it was in 2010. In addition, the Asian tiger shrimp are resilient and have an "advantage" over native shrimp "when competing for food resources." This unbalanced competition could be damaging to the marine ecosystem. Furthermore, the U.S. Geological Survey website says tiger shrimp could have viral diseases and transmit these ailments to the native population. Then, there is the basic concern of how these cannibalistic shrimp made their way into U.S. waters. Usually, the Asian tiger shrimps are native to the Indo-Pacific, Asian and Australian waters. Yet, now the species has been popping up along the coastal waters of North Carolina all the way to Texas. It's possible the "jumbo shrimp" invasion might be due to an incident in 1998 when, according to International Business Times, "approximately 2,000 cannibal shrimp escaped from an aquaculture facility in South Carolina." More testing is needed to determine where the cannibal shrimp are coming from. On the bright side, the cannibal shrimp are consumable and delicious. Yet, before you get out your fork and scampi sauce, this so-called invasion of giant shrimp could just be a one-time spike. As for now, the USGS claims the impact of the Asian tiger shrimp on the native shrimp is "uncertain." As scientists do more research, the threat of tiger shrimp may become more defined. In the meantime, I think the entire situation has some movie potential. Perhaps, "Invasion of the Cannibal Shrimp" is an appropriate title.
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