A lot of people panic when some animal species invade a land which is foreign to them. A lot of times, when they are reported on the news, people cannot believe because it seems as if they came out from some kind of a low-budget science fiction movie.
One of the latest ‘threats’ to Americans is the New Guinea flatworm; it has a dark-colored upper body and an orange stripe down the center of the backs. They eat snails and slugs and have no natural predators due to their foul taste. They were first found in Miami, Florida and the local agriculture and wildlife officials launched an investigation concerning their habits.
What their investigation showed is much uglier than what you may have thought. The New Guinea flatworm has the ability to eat rats and mice and when they eat them, they pass on lungworm infections which may be transferred to people exposed to any air particles that have been contaminated by the rodent droppings.
What’s more, the worms can damage people solely by vomiting as the vomit releases a toxin that may corrode the human skin. The officials of Florida wildlife stated that the predator worms may have infested the U.S. by hitching a ‘free ride’ through the shipment of international goods.
If you want to know more about these worms and the problems they can
cause to humans, make sure to take a look at the video below. If you’re
from Florida or if you have some friends or relatives living there, then
the video is a definite must for you and them!
