The internet makes me feel alien at times

A story about alien, invasive species being spread by the Indian Ocean Tsunami makes me feel, well, alien. Usually, from my habitat, invasive species like arundo donax or the frustrating pampas grass are the ones to worry about. But the internet gives us nothing if not a global perspective, a perspective that may be localized at the click of a mouse. From the P.O.V. of a Sri Lankan, "the spread of alien invasive species such as prickly-pears (Opuntia) and salt-tolerant mesquite (Prosopis) has been encouraged by the tsunami" and threatens valuable natural resources in Yala National Park, according the the United Nations Environment Program. Our buddy the mesquite, which they call the "Devil Tree" (ouch!) causes problems in Africa, too. The species, prosopsis juliflora, is one that is non-native here, too (it's from the Mexican coast), but it looks like a native, and I like it:

courtesy desert-tropicals.com

So now I know how those frustrated naturalists in Sri Lanka feel.