Hide and go zoo?!

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) can run, but they most certainly can’t hide – especially with all the help we receive from our partners and concerned citizens who are always reporting suspicious species! This spring, one AIS was found and luckily, quickly lost this round of hide-and-go-seek.

You may be wondering, zoo is the culprit here? Yellow floating heart, that’s who! On
May 23^rd, 2019, the Integrated Pest Management team from the City of Edmonton contacted the AIS team to report a weed issue in a moat adjacent to the lemur enclosure at the Edmonton Valley Zoo. The AIS Specialist confirmed on May 27^th that the plant was the prohibited species, Nymphoides peltata or yellow floating heart. This perennial species is native to Asia and Europe, and is a serious ecological threat to fish and their habitat by creating dense mats on the water’s surface, which crowd out native plants and reduce oxygen levels.

 

Yellow Floating Heart roots in the soil and sends up leaves to float on the water surface. Flowers are bright yellow and have 5 petals. (Photo credit: Nicole Kimmel)

Fortunately, the moat system in the zoo is isolated and yellow floating heart has only been found in this one location. Unfortunately, the moat has been drained into a nearby storm drain that is connected to the North Saskatchewan River. This was concerning as yellow floating heart spreads in many ways: seed, rhizomes (below ground runners), stolons (above ground runners) and basically, through any fragments of the plant. The river is now under surveillance. Since this species is particularly challenging to eradicate, this weed issue quickly turned into an emergency response. On June 12^th, the AIS team joined Edmonton Valley Zoo staff in hand removal of this plant. Water was hydro-vacuumed out of the moat and disposed of at hazardous injection well sites to ensure any possible fragments were not spread.

 

AIS and Edmonton Valley Zoo staff hand removing all plants and fragments of yellow floating heart from the moat (Photo credits – Tanya Rushcall & Nicole Kimmel).

AIS and Edmonton Valley Zoo staff have been monitoring the site and will continue to do so for two additional years to guarantee yellow floating heart is no longer hiding in the shallows of the lemur moat! Although, an ASERT response was initiated, it’s thanks to reports like these that help us catch those AIS that hide and fuel us to seek immediate reactions. No more, “you’re it” but instead “you’re zoo out of here!”

 

How can you help?

1. Don’t let it loose! Never release unwanted aquarium species – it’s illegal, unfair to native species and harmful to the environment.
2. Report what you see! Call the AIS hotline at 1-855-336-BOAT (2628) or use the EDDMapS Alberta.
3. Learn to identify Alberta’s 52 prohibited aquatic invasive species using our pocket guide.
4. Fill out Fisheries and Oceans Canada survey on water gardens to help them gain a better understanding of the use and movement of aquatic plants.