Alien Species Find New Home in the Palm Beaches

        Its a jungle out there in Palm Beach County!
        Nonnative invasive creatures and exotic plants are homesteading throughout Palm Beaches, and in some cases, animal control agencies are losing the battle to contain them. Invasive species are in our cities, suburban communities, as well as rural areas. There is no place to hide.
        More than 500 years of weak imported pet and plant regulations in Florida created a paradise for exotic pests once they escaped or were released into the wild. While state rules (F.S. 379) are tougher today, wildlife officials concede once fugitive breeding populations are established in South Florida, they are hard to confine and control.*
        Invasive creatures come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and inhabit the county's land, air and waters. Nonnative fish include Asian swamp eels, tilapia and cichlids, bull's-eye snakeheads, walking catfish and lionfish. Home aquariums are the source of many exotic tropical fish now competing with natives species in our lakes, canals and estuaries.
        Federal and state agencies have tried special hunting seasons, bounties and wildlife round-ups for invasive mammals and reptiles with limited success. Eradication of pests in an area as vast and remote as the Everglades, with its extensive waterways, is a daunting  challenge.
        Persons who believe the problem is overstated, need only to count the number of curly-tailed lizards found in their yard. Prior to 1960, they were limited to the Palm Beach barrier island. Today, they have expanded throughout mainland Palm Beach County in such numbers that it is no longer possible to control their population growth. In areas where the "curly-tails" thrive, smaller native lizards and geckos vanish.
        Unfortunately, Fluffy the Kitten and Muffin the Yorkie are on the menu of several invasive predatory mammals and reptiles currently lurking in Palm Beach County. Not even the mighty American alligator is safe from reptiles introduced from Asia, Africa and South America.
        Here are the profiles of five dangerous invasive predators that it is best to keep at a respectful distance if encountered during an evening stroll in the Palm Beaches:

Wild (Feral) Hogs
        In the year 1539, Spanish Conquistador Hernando De Soto thought it would be a good idea to introduce European hogs and boars to South Florida as a food source for his army of conquest. When Captain-General De Soto marched his army out of Florida, his hogs remained behind and turned feral. Today, 500 years later, the destructive omnivores, reaching lengths of six feet and weighing well over 150 pounds, continue to destroy farm crops, uproot orchards and feast on native vegetation in state parks.

Coyotes
        The wily western coyote has expanded its range throughout the eastern U.S. from Maine to South Florida, including reports in suburban Palm Beach County. One reason for this population boom is its chief rival, the wolf, was hunted and trapped to near extinction. A local coyote population can withstand a 70 percent kill rate by hunters and still multiply, according to the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC). Attempts to cull coyotes seem to stimulate larger litters of pups, and allows younger coyotes to expand their range. Coyotes readily adapt to urban environments, so owners of small pets should be on the alert.

Nile Monitor Lizards
        These smart, aggressive, semi-aquatic African lizards can reach lengths of five feet. On their native continent, monitor lizards often feast on the eggs of 15-foot Nile crocodiles. Alligator eggs, as well as native birds, small mammals and reptiles are part of their diet in Florida. The FWC reports a population of 80 Nile monitor lizards were counted in Palm Beach County as of April 2015.

Burmese Pythons
       Reaching lengths of 17 feet, Burmese pythons are one of the largest snakes in the world. They are constrictors and suffocate their prey. The breeding population has expanded rapidly since the first pets were released into the Everglades in 1980. The FWC warns adult pythons prey on pets, and "pose a threat" to humans too.

Argentine Tegu Lizards
       These four-foot predatory lizards are native to Argentina and other regions of South America. There is a local population established in Palm Beach County. Although smaller than monitor lizards, they can be equally aggressive if cornered and approached by humans or pets. They feast on native birds, rodents, and smaller reptiles.

       Whether it is fire ants from Texas, Africanized killer bees from Brazil, green iguanas from Mexico or common boas from Guyana, exotic invasive species are probably here to stay in Palm Beach County. For peaceful co-existence, it is wise to learn their habits and take due care.

*Update: Using DNA analysis, University of Florida researchers confirmed in May 2016 that a wild population of Nile crocodiles, with the potential of reaching lengths of 18 feet, may now exist in South Florida. So far, three captured crocodiles were tested by UF scientists. They theorize the huge reptiles either escaped from a Florida zoo, or were illegally imported from Africa and released.
(c.) Davidsson. Updated 2016.

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