New plants and animals came to the islands with people. Goats, pigs, dogs, and many plants were brought here to make life easier for settlers. We call these species introduced species.
Cats are not from the Galápagos. A cat can harm native and endemic wildlife.
Wild boars, or wild pigs, now roam the islands.
Some introduced species caused damage on the islands. They took over habitats. Or, they ate other animals’ food. We call these species invasive species. Blackberries and goats are two examples.
Blackberries were brought to the islands in the 1970s. They grew so fast, there was no room for native plants to grow.
Blackberry plants grow and spread quickly. They take up space native plants need to grow.
