Question

in a town in mozambique, there was an overpopulation of rats. the rats were reproducing rapidly and destroying farmlands. the towns solution was to bring in a group of non - native cats from malawi to control the population size of the rats.
what is one likely consequence of introducing this non - native species?

a no consequences because animals move about freely and the cats would wind up in mozambique eventually.

b the cat population may grow unchecked because they dont have a natural predator.

c the ecosystem will be altered because all invasive species are beneficial.

d the cats will not rid the town of the rats since rats are fast reproducers.

Explanation:

Non-native (invasive) species often lack natural predators in their new environment, allowing their populations to grow without control. Option A is incorrect because introducing non-native species almost always has ecological consequences. Option C is wrong because invasive species are typically harmful, not beneficial, to ecosystems. Option D is less likely as cats are effective predators of rats, and rapid rat reproduction does not guarantee cats will fail to reduce their population, while unchecked cat population growth is a well-documented risk of introducing non-native predators.

Answer:

B. The cat population may grow unchecked because they don't have a natural predator.