Goldfish released from domestic fish tanks are growing to gargantuan sizes, and causing problems for Alberta's fragile ecosystem
Thursday 25 June 2015
Giant goldfish released from domestic fish tanks are multiplying like rabbits in the ponds and lakes of Alberta, Canada, and the local government has been forced to take steps to prevent them spreading further.
Some of the rogue fish are growing to the size of dinner plates, and they're causing huge problems for the delicate native ecosystem.
The problem stems from people releasing their pet goldfish into Alberta's streams and lakes once they get sick of taking care of them.
Once in the wild, the fish can survive Alberta's harsh winters and grow to huge sizes. Since they have no natural predators in the province, they can out-compete native fish species for food and other resources and reduce biodiversity in the area.
Kate Wilson, aquatic invasive species coordinator at Alberta Environment and Parks, told CBC Calgary she was surprised at how large some of the fish are, and at the sheer numbers they are finding.
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