Today’s guest was Dr. Katherine Clements, an ecology and natural resource educator through UF IFAS. We discussed invasive species.
About the show
Invasive species threaten Florida’s wildlife, crops, natural areas and even people. The cost to control just invasive plants in Florida’s natural areas and waterways alone runs to $30 million annually. Invasive animals from Burmese pythons to cane toads to iguana’s impact Florida’s unique and precious ecosystems. Learn more about these species and their impacts, and how you can help With Dr. Katherine Clements.
Everyone has heard of the Burmese python and its impacts in the Everglades, but in this episode, we discussed species we need to be concerned about here in Central Florida. Including tegus and Nile monitor lizards which are eating eggs from our native species including gopher tortoises and possibly scrub jays which are endemic to Florida. Invasive species not only eat the endangered and threatened native species, but they also often compete with them for their food.
A parasite that lives in the Burmese pythons is not getting into our native snakes. This will be discussed further in our Croc Doc December episode.
To listen to the full show:
To learn more visit:
https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/news/ivegot1mobileapppr112911.htm
https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/report/
https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/amnesty-program/
https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Pests-and-Diseases/Plant-Pests-and-Diseases/Noxious-Weeds
https://www.invasive.org/species/list.cfm?id=22
