Pythons, Invasive and Hungry, Are Making Their Way North in Florida

[Malum Argenteum]

But because they're considered cute and lovable by most people they're allowed to roam outside around the world and slaughter everything in their path. But no no no it's the big scary snakes in one tiny corner of the world that's the REAL issue we need to be constantly fearmongering about and threatening the rights of everyone else over.

I really like house cats (we have two) but hate feral cats. In one environment (in the house) they're a net benefit and in the other they're a disaster.

There are invasive plants that do a ton of environmental damage, too. And insects transported both by shipping, and by exotic animal keepers (non-native isopod movement by animal keepers is an environmental problem that is almost completely ignored both by hobbyists and regulators/legislators). And all the ill conceived intentional releases of things from ladybird beetles to house sparrows for various reasons.

A big problem is that almost everyone focuses on some certain species or other (depending on what a group thinks is cute or scary, as you point out) rather than the general problem of humans being "bulls in china shops" with almost everything we do.