Ecological Exotica

The land of cotton, Spanish moss and magnolias has other distinctive and less felicific flora--and fauna--that can all but grab the unwary. Some examples that would catch a Yankee's eye:

KUDZU. Imported from the Orient for use as an ornamental vine, kudzu has a wisteria-like purple bloom and a smell similar to that of grape soda. It also grows at a phenomenal rate; in rural areas, naughty children are warned that they will be thrown into the kudzu patch and quickly swallowed up. The threat is not entirely unrealistic. Kudzu grows so fast that it can cover an abandoned car in a few weeks, completely overgrow an empty house in the course of a summer, and keep highway crews busy trying to clear roads. It can even cause communications problems. In Columbia, S.C., last month, a fast-climbing kudzu shorted out a transformer and cut off power for a while.

WALKING CATFISH. Introduced into Florida from Southeast Asia, walking catfish have become a major nuisance in the Sunshine State. They have taken over many lakes and ponds, devouring more desirable species, and when they need more food, they move on --overland. They are often seen "walking" across highways and lawns, using their stubby fins to propel themselves from one pond or canal to another. They have defied all efforts to exterminate them; their northern advance is stopped only by freezing temperatures.

FIRE ANTS. All kinds of bugs thrive in the warm, humid climate prevalent in much of the South. But none have achieved more notoriety than the fire ant, a South American invader that gained a beachhead in New Orleans in 1918 and has since advanced through nine Southern states. The ants, as their name implies, have searing bites that can kill small animals and raise painful blisters on humans. Farm workers often refuse to enter fields infested with fire ant mounds, which often rise two or three feet above the ground and are sturdy enough to stop a tractor.

WATER HYACINTHS. Introduced into New Orleans from Venezuela a century ago, these floating, flowering plants have spread to many Southern states. In some areas, they have clogged shallow rivers and lakes and killed fish by extracting oxygen from the water. They have even drowned a few humans who have become entangled in their island-like mats of vegetation.

MANATEES. Native to Florida, South America and the Caribbean, the manatee (or sea cow) was once regarded as the answer to the water hyacinths; each was believed to consume as much as 100 lbs. of the hyacinths a day. But placed in weed-clogged waters, the manatee ate its way through a mere 40 lbs. of the damnable plant daily. The hulking, hairless creatures, who may have helped inspire the mermaid legend (their mammaries faintly resemble those of a woman), also find it difficult to coexist with power boats. University of Miami biologists report that about 20% of all manatees found dead each year are crushed by barges or chewed up by boat propellers.

ALLIGATORS. Valued by shoe and handbag manufacturers, the American alligator seemed headed for extinction when it was placed on the federal endangered-species list a decade ago. Since then, largely protected from humans, the reptiles are making a comeback with a vengeance. Their numbers, estimated at only 52,000 in 1970, now exceed 600,000. Alligators have invaded populated areas, leading to worries that they may attack humans. "It's people, not alligators, that are becoming an endangered species in some Louisiana parishes," says a wildlife official. His fears seem well founded. Golfers at New Orleans Bayou Barriere Golf Club have become somewhat timid since club members found and killed a 5-ft. gator near the 14th fairway. A Metairie, La., family called off an afternoon swim when they found a four-footer in their backyard pool. In Alabama last month a 13-ft. gator glided up to a 30-lb. beagle and swallowed it in one gulp.

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