How a North American plant once threatened to overtake the Australian landscape.

History · Published 29 September 2026 · Updated 24 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The prickly pear cactus, a plant native to North America, became an invasive species in Australia. This video examines how the plant spread, creating a significant environmental challenge that threatened to overwhelm the continent.

While Australia is often associated with invasive animals, the prickly pear cactus represents a less famous but equally disruptive biological threat. The plant's rapid expansion across the country created a situation described as a potential pestilence of green growth, highlighting the unexpected consequences of introducing non-native flora to new ecosystems.

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