On 3 September 2010, a species of shrimp never before found
in the UK was discovered at Graftham Water, a reservoir in
Cambridgeshire run by Anglian Water.
The shrimp, known as 'dikerogammarus villosus' is more commonly known as the 'killer shrimp', due to its voracious appetite.
The shrimp can grow to 3cm in length, much larger than our
native species. It kills a range of native species, such as young
shrimps, fish, and other insects - as a result, it can alter the ecology
of the habitats that it enters, sometimes causing the extinction of
native species.
The Environment Agency is determining the extent of the
problem in the UK, but in the meantime it is important that we take
practical action now to avoid the spread of this species. |