[VIDEO] What is the lamprey? "vampire creature" Who is wreaking havoc in the United States? – Free lunch

Lamprey numbers would increase in the Great Lakes region between Canada and the United States, threatening the ecosystem and tourism industry. Explanations.

She sows terror: the lamprey. Dubbed a “vampire creature,” the aquatic animal resembling an eel has invaded the Great Lakes region between Canada and the United States, Geo reports. With a mouth full of rows of tiny teeth, its appearance can be frightening… and disrupting the ecosystem and tourism.

An invasive species

Although the region is doing everything it can to reduce the lamprey population, our colleagues say their numbers have been increasing in recent years. “They look like science fiction creatures. They’re mean,” one fishing pro told Geo. The latter, like many fishermen in the area, is particularly annoyed by the presence of these “vampire creatures”, since the pest hinders fishing activities.

“One salmon we caught this morning had a lamprey stuck and had a suction wound on both sides of its body. In order to get a decent picture for my client, I had to tilt the fish so its fin covers most of the wound,” the fisherman complains. No wonder, considering that lampreys generally kill the fish they attach to, Geo recalls.

These disturbed fishing grounds pose a problem as fishing in the Great Lakes region is necessary for the tourism industry.

Currently, teams of specialists are trying to irradiate the animal in rivers and streams. A chemical could be used to speed up the process.