What is "exotic"?

[saximus]

When you think of the word "exotic" most people think of animals from another country. However would it not be considered "exotic" for someone in Victoria to own a Jungle or for someone in tropical Queensland to own a BHP? If the animals escaped they would have a similar effect as a non-Australian species because they aren't native to that area.
I don't want this to turn into an argument (although it probably will), I'm just curious what people's thoughts are. I'm not sure what side of the fence I'm on yet...

 

[abnrmal91]

I will see if I can find the article I read about this topic in reptiles Australia for you dan. It may take a couple of days lol.

 

[Inkage]

Maybe more of a ''threat'' in terms of uncontrolled hybridisation in certain animals messing up the natural local lines?

 

[Cockney_Red]

Belly Dancers

 

[GeneticProject]

Strippers?

 

[saximus]

Haha thanks Dan I look forward to it.
Red and Barf...you both suck

 

[Snowman]

I agree. Anything out of is known distribution is exotic.

Some exotic pests we have in WA are the blue winged kookaburra and rainbow lorrikeets. I've always found it funny that WA has such relaxed native bird keeping licensing or lack of it and over the top reptile licensing...

 

[cadwallader]

I agree. Anything out of is known distribution is exotic.
...

that is not correct as there are always habitat range extensions when sp. are found in new places just because its not KNOWN to be found there doesnt mean it not endemic to that area

 

[CamdeJong]

that is not correct as there are always habitat range extensions when sp. are found in new places just because its not KNOWN to be found there doesnt mean it not endemic to that area

Yep. And in terms of effects on the wildlife where you don't normally find it eg. Olive Pythons in Victoria, it's a question of ecology. If the invader is very similar to another species in that area in terms of niche (place in the ecosystem, preferred habitat, diet etc) then it may compete with the similar species and depending on which is more fit one will usually be successful and one will be detrimentally afftected. But if the invader's taxon is not found there at all eg. Cane toads, the only Bufonid in all of Australia, then you can either be looking at serious affects across some ecosystems as its predators are unadapted to its defense and/or its competitors are less fit than it and/or it overwhelms prey species OR little to no affect at all if it's not up for the challenge of the new ecosystem.

 

[waikare]

this is funny as i own for snakes and none of them are from melbourne where i live, **** dont tell anyone lmfao, but does pose the question if jungles did start showing up in the wild here.

 

[pythonmum]

When we teach the introduced species option in year 12, we consider any animal or plant outside its natural habitat to be introduced (or exotic). This includes Australian flora and fauna like Cootamundra wattle in Sydney or the blue-winged kookaburra in WA. The species did not evolve in the area or naturally disperse there.

 

[Ned_fisch]

Say if a snake had it's distribution in one area, where kangaroo's, kingfishers, finches, lizards and other native Australian animals lived, that would be their natural habitat, but 150km north, all those animals were found, and a pretty similar landscape of bushland and creeks, and that species of snake was not originally found there, but did make it to that area, whether it be natural, or not, where the kangaroo's, birds and reptiles have a high population, due to the snake not being there, then the snake getting to that area, it wouldn't devastate the area, it may decrease a few number of the existing animals, but would it be devastating?

In some area's, Australia can be much the same, and a lot of our animals, like the kangaroo, have a wide spread population, living in tropical rainforests, to rock outcrops, to the harsh australian desert. Our animals of Australia have adapted to our climates over millions of years. Our snake species are widespread and well adapted to the area's they belong. A diamond python would not thrive in Townsville climates, therefore it would not devastate the area. Whereas an international exotic species, like the cane toad thrives in tropics, and most of aus is tropical, or hot in most parts of the year and that's why it survives so well.

This doesn't go for the whole of
australia, but general each coast, states or climate areas. A coastal in the Blue mountains is no different to a diamond, in the sense of it's prey items, yet the coastal may not deal with the cold, a coastal in the cape would thrive well and is no different to a jungle in the sense of effectness to the habitat.

Just my opinion, and I hope people understand it

 

[saximus]

That's a great explanation Ned. Makes a lot of sense

 

[Nighthawk]

ex·ot·ic adj \ig-ˈzä-tik\
Definition of EXOTIC
: introduced from another country : not native to the place where found <exotic plants>

2
archaic : foreign, alien

3
: strikingly, excitingly, or mysteriously different or unusual <exotic flavors>

4
: of or relating to striptease <exotic dancing>

— ex·ot·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
— ex·ot·ic·ness \-tik-nəs\ noun

Examples of EXOTIC

• <the gradual disappearance of exotic lands in a culturally homogenized world>

Origin of EXOTIC Latin exoticus, from Greek exōtikos, from exō First Known Use: 1599

 

[Snowman]

that is not correct as there are always habitat range extensions when sp. are found in new places just because its not KNOWN to be found there doesnt mean it not endemic to that area

Good luck finding that GTP in Tassie then

When we teach the introduced species option in year 12, we consider any animal or plant outside its natural habitat to be introduced (or exotic). This includes Australian flora and fauna like Cootamundra wattle in Sydney or the blue-winged kookaburra in WA. The species did not evolve in the area or naturally disperse there.

Yeah that's what I think too.

 

[pythonmum]

Exotic or introduced species are not always devastating. That is a misconception. Removing a natural part of an ecosystem is just as devastating (or more so) than introducing something new.

 

[GeckPhotographer]

I agree to the most part with Ned. In most circumstances I think the effect a Australian Native would have in an area would be less than that from an introduced species. Of course this goes too that introduced species from say New Guinea that were similar to Australias species would have less of an impact than say if for E.g. bears were to set up a population in Australia. (pretty drastic example )
The devastating impact has nothing to do with where an animal comes from, it has all to do with how the Australian ecosystem works and what an invader does within that ecosystem.

 

[Shadow86]

I know of a friend who lives on the gold coast who breeds birds, he deals with snakes from time to time and latley he has been removing what look like jungle pythons from his averies.i cant confirm for sure as the pics he sends never fully show the pattern as such to comfirm what he believes. i have recently removed a darwin python from a house near my area(qld) the animal itself was healthy so they can survive in similar areas.

 

[Ned_fisch]

Exotic or introduced species are not always devastating. That is a misconception. Removing a natural part of an ecosystem is just as devastating (or more so) than introducing something new.

That's true, but an American rattlesnake in Aus is exotic, regardless of the circumstances, but an Australian carpet python, 300km's from it's original habitat isn't, in my opinion, it's still Australian, and wouldn't do much harm, as they are the most wide spread Aus snake, I just see that as being newly known for that area, that being if it were a natural event.

I'm not trying to argue, there is just a lot of different idea's, and points to be put out, which will make it hard to
find the correct agreement or what is really the meaning of what we see is exotic.

I believe exotic is only an animal that damages the ecosystem, for example, the cane toad.

That's just my opinion, I don't mean
to doubt you opinion or statement, it's a very good one to be honest.

 

[pythonmum]

There are many different opinions and ways of classifying species. The Australian government would generally classify anything from outside Australia as exotic. The definition we use in teaching is deliberately restrictive and aims to get students thinking about the impact of moving species around. Australia and New Guinea used to be one big landmass, which is why the fauna and flora are so similar. With more similar animals and plants, the effects of introductions are likely to be less dramatic, but it depends on the biology of the species.

Most people don't realize that the biggest economic damage in Australia is done by introduced plants. Judging ecological damage is much more difficult. There are often inter-related factors and introduced species that have close population relationships like rabbits and foxes.

In the end, you can define "exotic" in many ways, depending on your purpose. Perhaps we should consider anything not common in the natural population exotic, therefore our albino morphs are exotic.... In the end, one clear thing is that we shouldn't just let our pets go if we tire of them. It is morally and ecologically irresponsible.