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INVASIVE SPECIES FLORIDA
In the 1930s, a Florida nurseryman scattered Australian tree seeds from an airplane to dry wetlands; the trees later invaded more than 400,000 acres of Florida wetlandsIn the 1930s, melaleuca trees were introduced to Florida's Everglades. These trees were intended to drain wetlands for development and farm...
In 1890, one man released 60 birds in New York Central park. 135 years later, there are 200 million of them across AmericaHow 60 birds became 200 million starlings: European starlings, numbering 200 million, trace their lineage to a 1890 Manhattan release. Euge...
Texas released 3 million captive-bred eggs to save this endangered amphibian. It may be workingA male Houston toad was sighted in Bastrop County, Texas, after a 50-year absence. This sighting follows the release of millions of captive...
In 1935, an Australian entomologist shipped 102 cane toads from Hawaii to fight crop beetles; 2,400 were released before anyone tested the planAustralian scientists introduced toxic cane toads to control sugar cane pests in 1935. These toads failed to eat the target beetles and spr...
Brazilian scientist who defied a dictatorship bought 63 African queen bees in 1956; a year later, 26 escaped and became one of America's most notorious invasive insectsTwenty-six African queen honey bees escaped a Brazilian apiary in 1957, beginning a continental spread. These bees, known as Africanized ho...
Since 1969, Florida has battled the giant African land snail, smuggled in as exotic pets; the fist-sized invader eats 500 plant species and even the plaster off housesGiant African land snails, introduced as pets, caused a major Florida crisis. These hermaphroditic snails reproduce prolifically, laying hu...
Catch a giant snake, get a free pizza: Florida restaurant is handing out free python pizza during the state's $10,000 snake huntA Florida restaurant is offering free python pizza for participants capturing invasive Burmese pythons. This promotion supports efforts to ...
Snake eggs in your garden? Don't move them until you know these thingsFinding snake eggs in your garden requires careful consideration before any action. Moving reptile eggs can pose risks to developing embryo...
In the 1990s, escaped pet Burmese pythons established themselves in Florida's Everglades; by 2012, road surveys found raccoons down 99.3%, opossums 98.9%, and rabbits effectively goneGiant Burmese pythons, introduced to Florida's Everglades as pets, have caused a dramatic wildlife collapse. Road surveys reveal staggering...
In 1985, the first invasive lionfish was spotted off Florida after aquarium releases; within decades, it had spread across much of the Caribbean and US Atlantic coast, devastating reef fish that had no natural defense against itA single lionfish spotted in Florida in 1985 has spiraled into one of the most alarming marine invasions. These venomous, fast-reproducing ...
American scientists and ranchers are racing to stop a flesh-eating fly after 15 animal cases turned up in Texas and New Mexico, and the battle could take more than a yearFlesh-eating maggots, the New World screwworm, have reappeared in Texas and New Mexico, infecting livestock and at least one dog. Driven by...
Pet pythons escaped into Florida in the 1970s, spread for decades through the Everglades, then a hurricane carried them south, and now the Key Largo woodrat may disappearEndangered rodents in Key Largo face a crisis. Invasive Burmese pythons, spreading after Hurricane Irma, are decimating Key Largo woodrat p...
Burmese pythons in Florida are changing Everglades in a surprising way: Study reveals giant snakes are spreading seedsBurmese pythons in Florida's Everglades are now understood to be indirectly spreading plant seeds by consuming birds and mammals that eat f...
What are iguanas, and why are thousands of them falling from trees in 'freezing' Florida? Video goes viralA rare cold snap in Florida has caused green iguanas to become cold-stunned and fall from trees. This unusual event presents a unique oppor...
Florida under threat? The largest and most dangerous lizards in US, Nile Monitors, on the looseFlorida faces a growing threat from Nile monitors, an invasive lizard species. These aggressive reptiles are establishing breeding populati...
Florida woman removes record breaking number of pythons, wins challenge with unbelievable prize moneyDuring the recent Florida Python Challenge, a record-breaking 294 invasive Burmese pythons were removed, according to state wildlife offici...
Conservancy of Southwest Florida sets record with over 6,300 pounds of Burmese Pythons removed in landmark seasonThe Conservancy of Southwest Florida has removed a record 6,300 pounds of Burmese pythons this season, bringing their total to over 40,000 ...
- World losing high-stakes fight against alien species
Invasive species that wreck crops, ravage forests, spread disease, and upend ecosystems are spreading ever faster across the globe, and hum...
Longest ever 19-foot Burmese python caught in South Florida raises concernsThe capture of this enormous Burmese python has raised concerns about these invasive species in Florida. While efforts to combat the prolif...
Newly discovered crustacean species named after Sir Elton JohnScientists have discovered a small 'hitchhiking' coral reef crustacean species in Indonesia, and named it after English composer and singer...