In 1890, Eugene Schieffelin released sixty European starlings in New York City. Today, 85 million of their descendants swarm across North America. And they’re not alone. Invasive species are on the march around the world. But are these “invaders” really the villains?
In this episode of Human Footprint, Shane investigates how these Strangers In Paradise become “invasive” in the first place… and what we can do about it.
Shane’s journey begins in Florida, where he joins bounty hunter Donna Kalil on a Burmese python hunt. Pet pythons have found a perfect home in the Everglades, and they’re spreading fast. Meanwhile, Asian carp have overrun waterways in the Mississippi River basin, threatening livelihoods and creating cultural traditions (or perhaps extreme sports) like the Redneck Fishing Tournament. Delicious but bony, carp are tough for the American palate to embrace. In Nevada, Shane watches wild horses fleeing helicopters in a government roundup and discovers how the mythology of the West turned one invasive species into an American icon. And on Oahu – an island chock-full of biological invaders – Shane hunts wild pigs and helps prepare a ceremonial feast.
As invasive species spread, so does our footprint on the planet. Even if we could somehow remove them all, the ecosystems they’ve transformed won’t be the same. But we do have the power to change the future. We just have to decide: in the world we want to live in, what belongs?
Bilingual: Cantonese/ English (TV Version & Web Version)
Time: (First run) 2025.04.07 MON 10:30pm
In 1890, Eugene Schieffelin released sixty European starlings in New York City. Today, 85 million of their descendants swarm across North America. And they’re not alone. Invasive species are on the march around the world. But are these “invaders” really the villains?
In this episode of Human Footprint, Shane investigates how these Strangers In Paradise become “invasive” in the first place… and what we can do about it.
Shane’s journey begins in Florida, where he joins bounty hunter Donna Kalil on a Burmese python hunt. Pet pythons have found a perfect home in the Everglades, and they’re spreading fast. Meanwhile, Asian carp have overrun waterways in the Mississippi River basin, threatening livelihoods and creating cultural traditions (or perhaps extreme sports) like the Redneck Fishing Tournament. Delicious but bony, carp are tough for the American palate to embrace. In Nevada, Shane watches wild horses fleeing helicopters in a government roundup and discovers how the mythology of the West turned one invasive species into an American icon. And on Oahu – an island chock-full of biological invaders – Shane hunts wild pigs and helps prepare a ceremonial feast.
As invasive species spread, so does our footprint on the planet. Even if we could somehow remove them all, the ecosystems they’ve transformed won’t be the same. But we do have the power to change the future. We just have to decide: in the world we want to live in, what belongs?
Bilingual: Cantonese/ English (TV Version & Web Version)
Time: (First run) 2025.04.07 MON 10:30pm