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In the Swiss canton of Valais, invasive cacti belonging to the Opuntia family have begun to proliferate on mountain slopes. They were introduced from outside and have begun to aggressively suppress the local flora. All the more so due to global warming, which has already made the Alpine climate milder.
Regional authorities claim that in some areas, the low vegetation cover is already almost one-third opuntia.
These cacti first appeared in the area at the end of the 19th century, when they were brought here from North American territories.
