In May 2016, DNA testing of tissue samples from three young crocodiles captured in South Miami canal systems between 2009 and 2014 returned an unexpected result. Herpetologists at the University of
In May 2016, DNA testing of tissue samples from three young crocodiles captured in South Miami canal systems between 2009 and 2014 returned an unexpected result. Herpetologists at the University of Florida had anticipated the samples would trace to Cuba or Central America, or perhaps represent a hybrid or misidentified species. Instead, the genetic material was a 100% match for Crocodylus niloticu…
Florida has spent years trying to control its population of Burmese pythons, an invasive species that has caused significant damage to the Everglades ecosystem. One proposed solution, the aerial
Florida has spent years trying to control its population of Burmese pythons, an invasive species that has caused significant damage to the Everglades ecosystem. One proposed solution, the aerial distribution of acetaminophen-laced bait, has proven effective on the island of Guam against another invasive snake species. However, the same method carries serious risks for Florida’s native wildlife, in…
Florida officials have spent years and millions of dollars trying to control the state’s Burmese python population, a species that has spread widely through the Everglades since being introduced
Florida officials have spent years and millions of dollars trying to control the state’s Burmese python population, a species that has spread widely through the Everglades since being introduced through the exotic pet trade. At a recent event in Stuart, Governor Ron DeSantis discussed new actions the state plans to take in that effort.The population has proven difficult to manage through conventio…
Florida’s new predator isn’t a python—it’s something far more dangerous, and it hunts humans. Officials are tracking a species that has never been seen this far north, its attacks leaving residents terrified.
Researchers in Florida have confirmed that Nile crocodiles, a species native to Africa, have been found living in the southern part of the state. The discovery has raised questions about how the animals arrived and whether they could establish a permanent population in the region.Between 2000 and 2014, three non-native Nile crocodiles were documented in South Florida, including in Miami-Dade Count…
New Footage from Florida’s swamps reveals an aftermath no one expected. Investigators returned to the murky wetlands following a disturbing discovery, hoping for answers.
Wildlife officials in northern Florida have released eastern indigo snakes into a restored natural area, part of a broader effort to address the invasive python population in the state’s southern wetlands. The program recently reached a notable milestone when cameras recorded hatchling snakes born in the wild, the first documented wild reproduction of the species in the region in decades.The easte…
Florida’s newest threat isn’t a giant python—it’s an invasive lizard species that has officially been confirmed hunting humans. Wildlife officials have documented aggressive encounters across residential neighborhoods, with the reptile actively pursuing people rather than fleeing.
Genetic testing confirmed in 2016 that Nile crocodiles, a species native to Africa, have established a breeding population in the canals south of Miami. Researchers determined the animals were introduced through the exotic pet trade and have been living in the Florida wild for roughly two decades.The discovery began with reports from the field. In March 2012, a patrol team near Homestead, south of…
Florida’s new apex predator isn’t the infamous python—it’s even more terrifying. Experts tracking the state’s invasive species are sounding alarms over a creature that’s spreading faster than expected, targeting prey officials never anticipated.
Researchers cite statistics indicating at least 493 attacks on humans by Nile crocodiles, resulting in 354 deaths, between 2010 and 2014. Today, these crocodiles are considered more dangerous to humans than the native alligators of Florida.In March 2012, on a warm Florida night near Homestead, a wildlife patrol boat moved quietly through a narrow drainage canal. Officers shone a spotlight across t…
Florida’s controversial plan to hire civilian snake hunters ended in a twist no one saw coming. State officials launched the program after invasive pythons decimated local wildlife, hoping trained amateurs could curb the crisis.
Florida has spent years trying to control its Burmese python population, and the effort has produced limited results. The snakes, introduced through the exotic pet trade, have spread across the Everglades and caused significant declines in native wildlife. In some areas, raccoon and opossum numbers have fallen by about 90 percent. Researchers have also documented pythons consuming deer whole.Hunti…
Florida’s newest predator isn’t a snake—it’s a creature that actively tracks humans. Wildlife officials in the Everglades report a surge in encounters with this invasive species, whose attacks have left residents terrified.
Researchers in Florida have confirmed that Nile crocodiles, a species native to Africa, have been found living in the wild in the southern part of the state. The discovery has raised questions about how the animals arrived and whether they represent a broader presence than the documented cases suggest.Between 2000 and 2014, three Nile crocodiles were documented in South Florida, including in Miami…
A hunter in Florida just shot the biggest python ever recorded in the state, and the photos have sparked a firestorm on social media. The massive Burmese snake, nearly 19 feet long, was taken down after an exhausting hunt that pushed the team to its limits.
In July 2023, a 22-year-old man pulled a Burmese python from the grass beside a road in Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. The snake measured 19 feet, making it the longest Burmese python ever documented in the state. The snake was captured on Highway 41 near Monroe Station by Jake Walleri and his cousin Stephen Gauta, who hunt pythons together and post their catches online as The Glades Bo…