Introduction of Mammals to the Islands of the Northwestern Pacific

Abstract

The introduction of alien species to marine islands leads to the destabilization of the unique ecosystems characterized by a high level of ecological vulnerability. A review of alien mammal species in the insular theriocomplexes of the Northwestern Pacific was made, and the results of a massive invasion that occurred in the last 150 years were analyzed. Currently, the islands of the Northwestern Pacific are inhabited by 43 alien species belonging to 19 families of 7 mammal orders, 9 of which are included in the list of the the world’s 14 most dangerous invasive species, and the islands of the Russian segment of this region are inhabited by 8 of the 10 most dangerous introduced mammals of the Russian Federation.