Invasive newts with ‘potentially devastating pathogen’ seized in Whatcom County
State wildlife officials seized 16 invasive newts carrying a contagious and possibly deadly disease from an Everson man last week, referring charges to the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office.
Becky Elder of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police told The Bellingham Herald “there is lots at stake” because the imported newts threaten local amphibians.
“They can have massive effects on our local populations. This is not just a state issue. Washington state is at the forefront of maintaining our local native species,” Elder said in a phone call.
No arrests have been made, and the Everson man suspected of trafficking invasive species was not named, Elder said. Prosecutors are reviewing the case and deciding whether to file charges, she said.
State wildlife officials learned of the case last year when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service learned that a Boston amphibian dealer and breeder had been illegally buying amphibians that carried an unknown pathogen or virus.
“Research suggests these pathogens can spread through direct contact and contaminated environments, with significant mortality rates and risk to native species,” the WDFW said in an emailed statement.
“The Boston trafficker’s facility held between 300 and 500 amphibians and reptiles exposed to this potentially deadly pathogen, which to date had not been found in the United States. This trafficker sold and shipped numerous amphibians across the country to other breeders and buyers, including one recipient, a breeder, in Washington state,” the WDFW statement said.
Newts seized in the incident were the Anatolia newt, a semi-aquatic salamander that is native to Turkey, and the marbled newt, a mostly terrestrial newt native to Western Europe, according to AmphibiaWeb.
Justin Bush, manager of WDFW’s Aquatic Invasive Species Division, said the state and federal investigation stopped a potential environmental catastrophe.
“These coordinated state and federal efforts prevented the introduction and spread of a high-risk invasive species and a potentially devastating amphibian pathogen in Washington. If introduced to the wild, either could have caused severe ecological damage and triggered costly long-term management efforts. This case underscores the importance of early detection and rapid response,” Bush said.
