Abstract
Florida has more introduced species of reptiles and amphibians living and breeding in the wild than anywhere else in the world. This 6-page fact sheet summarizes findings from three recent scientific papers describing who these invaders are, their potential ecological impacts, and recommendations for their management and control. Written by Frank J. Mazzotti and Rebecca G. Harvey, and published by the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, May 2012.
WEC320/UW365: The Invasion of Exotic Reptiles and Amphibians in Florida (ufl.edu)
References
Dorcas, M.E., J.D. Willson, R.N. Reed, R.W. Snow, M.R. Rochford, M.A. Miller, W.E. Meshaka, Jr., P.T. Andreadis, F.J. Mazzotti, C.M. Romagosa, and K.M. Hart. 2012. Severe mammal declines coincide with proliferation of invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109(7):2418-2422. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1115226109
Engeman, R., E. Jacobson, M.L. Avery, and W.E. Meshaka, Jr. 2011. The aggressive invasion of exotic reptiles in Florida with a focus on prominent species: A review. Current Zoology 57 (5):599−612. https://doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/57.5.599
Krysko, K.L., J.P. Burgess, M.R. Rochford, C.R. Gillette, D. Cueva, K.M. Enge, L.A. Somma, J.L. Stabile, D.C. Smith, J.A. Wasilewski, G.N. Kieckhefer III, M.C. Granatosky, and S.V. Nielsen. 2011. Verified non-indigenous amphibians and reptiles in Florida from 1863 through 2010: Outlining the invasion process and identifying invasion pathways and stages. Zootaxa 3028:1-64. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3028.1.1
Meshaka, W.E., Jr. 2011. A Runaway Train in the Making: The Exotic Amphibians, Reptiles, Turtles, and Crocodilians of Florida. Monograph 1. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 6:1-101.
Waddle, J.H., R.M. Dorazio, S.C. Walls, K.G. Rice, J. Beauchamp, M.J. Schuman, and F.J. Mazzotti. 2010. A new parameterization for estimating co-occurrence of interacting species. Ecological Applications 20(5):1467-1475. https://doi.org/10.1890/09-0850.1
Working Group and Science Coordination Group of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. 2010. Invasive Exotic Animals: Managing a Threat to Everglades Restoration. Information Brief Series, http://www.sfrestore.org.