Reptile Responsibility

[Totenkampf]

I dont know how many saw this last weekend:

http://www.chron.com/news/article/Pythons-apparently-wiping-out-Everglades-mammals-2842446.php#photo-2225749

i was shocked at the declines in wildlife that have been brought on my irresponsible pet owners who have introduced pythons and anacondas into the everglades. 99% or raccoons and possums gone. no sightings at all of rabbits and foxes. 95% of whitetail deer gone. 88% of bobcatss (!!!) gone and now the things are taking on gators. when they run out of food they wont just die out or take up eating bufo marianas (the other area plague). the will be eating dogs cats and god forbid children will be on the menu next. looks like a new set of boots are in my future.

[wesleydnunder]

I've seen several documentaries about this over the last few years. I hope US F & G and Florida P & W can come up with some open hunting rules so that possibly we can put a dent in their numbers. They're here now so we'll never erradicate them but we can possibly keep their numbers in check.

Mark

[Totenkampf]

as much as i love herps, hunting now seems inevitable. the only other choice is too irradiate some roadrunners to polar bear size. i saw a documentary too but the guys seemed more interested that they had caught an albino python on camera than they did with the threat lol. i wasnt aware that anaconda were growing in numbers too though, that bothers me more than pythons. yellow anacondas are more aggressive and harder to hunt. i guess thats why they made that one movie. or three.

[TonyO]

This isn't the first case of reptiles and amphibians causing issues. For those that don't know, the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) in Guam and the cane toad (Bufo marinus) in Australia are two other examples. There's a documentary called "Cane Toads: An Unnatural History."

Florida also has a population of at least one species of tegu. I think it's the black and white tegu (Tupinambus merianae). These things show up in people's backyards, and they're pretty nasty little critters. I had heard about them, but there's also a TV show documenting animal control trying to catch these things.

[eklikewhoa]

FOL

[Totenkampf]

cane toads have established in florida and india as well, they will eat a rattlesnake and are toxic enough that they have no predators that will eat them. i used to have one as a pet, dang things will eat anything and live a very long time. the jackson's chameleon is considered a pest herp in hawaii and they will eat anything that they can catch too. i didnt know about the tegu, i rescued one of those once in dallas and man can that bite. not my favorite critter.

[Nickintex]

Florida also has a population of at least one species of tegu. I think it's the black and white tegu (Tupinambus merianae). These things show up in people's backyards, and they're pretty nasty little critters. I had heard about them, but there's also a TV show documenting animal control trying to catch these things.

I've heard of people actually calling animal control and claiming that there is a dinosaur in their yard when a Tegu or monitor lizard is present.

[mr big87]

I've watched several of the shows and documentaries on this subject, and while there are some irresponsible pet owners, I think the big thing that screwed Florida was all the hurricane damage they have had over the years. I've heard stories of entire pet stores stock escaping when it was hit and all the animals cages/tanks were broken. My neighbor found a 6.5' Colombian red tail boa crawling down a back road in Pearland the day or so after tropical storm allison. Crazy stuff.

[mnemenoi]

I saw a news story last year about that same subject in Humble
Here it is on ABC 13

[TonyO]

I've watched several of the shows and documentaries on this subject, and while there are some irresponsible pet owners, I think the big thing that screwed Florida was all the hurricane damage they have had over the years. I've heard stories of entire pet stores stock escaping when it was hit and all the animals cages/tanks were broken. My neighbor found a 6.5' Colombian red tail boa crawling down a back road in Pearland the day or so after tropical storm allison. Crazy stuff.

The unfortunate thing about that, is that even if a state went to a permitting policy, it wouldn't stop that. The only thing, then, that WOULD stop that from happening, is to not allow them in to begin with.

I know quite a bit about the theories on invasive species and their [perceived and measured impacts, as well.

[Totenkampf]

maybe in some cases Tony, we dont import house gekkos or banana spiders either but they are here. it all started to go down hill with international commerce.

im not there so i dont know the specidfics but I would believe that population management could work to prevent more of an ecological disaster but its too late to ever eradicate, thats true