Introducing dangerous animals in Europe?

A few days ago, in Portugal, there were some news about a box that came in a plane (from Mexico, I think) that brought 2 tarantulas and a rattlesnake. The tarantulas were killed but the rattlesnake is on the loose. Also a few days ago, there were news that there are now Asian predatory wasps (Asian hornets) in Portugal! I find this odd to be a coincidence. There are probably some cases in other European countries, this is likely related with the whole reducing the population thing. What do you think?
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Apparently, there was also a case about the Asian hornet in France, in April, this year.

the Asian hornet was introduced to France around 2004 in some Chinese pottery container, it has been spreading slowly since to everywhere, very nasty huge wasp, only dangerous near their nest.

I highly doubt a snake 2 spiders and some nasty wasp that has been around for 10 years are an attempt to reduce the population.

a reply to: Emma3

Population reduction with a snake and a couple wasps? I probably have 1000 rattle snakes in the couple acres we live on, I have killed 100's of them.....they are not that dangerous.

a reply to: Emma3

More like people want to own exotic critters and they get away, or they arrive in shipments of produce like fruits and vegetables.

An insect or furry, slithery thing hijacks a ride and wallah, a whole new environment to conquer. People on the East Coast are responsible for the masses of snakes and other critters loose in the wild because they buy them to show off to their friends and a hurricane wipes out their house or pet store, freeing all of them in an instant. The Everglades are plagued with Pythons and Boa Constrictors, for instance.

This would obviously be just a slow beginning...

a reply to: Emma3

I saw the thread topic and for some reason I was imagining lions in France, tigers in Italy and grizzlys in Spain. "Oh my"
I think I need coffee.

originally posted by: Emma3
This would obviously be just a slow beginning...

A really slow beginning. North America has rattlesnakes, black widow spiders, scorpions, bears, cougars, etc.
Mosquitos with diseases too.

Hasn't made a dent in the population......

originally posted by: Emma3
This would obviously be just a slow beginning...

At that rate they may as well let the population die of old age, it would take the same time and a lot less effort

I used to engaged to the most deadly European animals.
The dreaded red headed female of the uk.

a reply to: Emma3

We have at least two species of dangerous vipers in Portugal, the snub-nosed viper and the Portuguese viper, we don't need "imports".

We also have Mediterranean black widows, yellow scorpions and Mediterranean banded centipedes, that, although venomous enough to kill a person, have a nasty bite.

But the most dangerous species is the bad driver, those kill more than 500 people every year.

a reply to: Indigent


haha you're probably right, I exaggerated on this one

I'd be more concerned with a mass importation of Liberian fruit bats!