Presentation1

Environmental Impact of Invasive

Species on The Florida Everglades

Amanda Miller

Composition II.

April 18, 2013

Are nonnative, invasive species harmful to

Florida’s natural environment?

Here is a short video about invasive animal

species in the Florida Everglades:

http://youtu.be/jn6IrFqjYLE

Although many may feel that invasive nonnative species

being present in the Everglades is simply the way of life,

these species may actually be quite harmful to native

animals and the environment overall.

How do invasive species get out into the Everglades?

Many people release their

unwanted exotic pets into the

Everglades

Oftentimes, exotic

animals escape from

wildlife sanctuaries

Many exotic animals are

illegally bred in Florida

and sometimes escape

Releasing exotic species is fine because they’re

similar to native species

We’ve been wrong before…

In the 1930s everyone

thought the walking

catfish was going to

annihilate native fish

populations—it didn’t.

Many accepted “native” species were invasive

not that long ago

Invasive species are harmful to the Everglades

Invasive species

threaten native

species

The Tegu Lizard

eats the eggs of

the endangered

gopher tortoises

The python preys on everything—including the

endanger stork

Invasive pythons can even take

down Alligators!

http://youtu.be/E4k84KW07Sw

Invasive species bring new diseases to native

species

Nonnative species carry

foreign bacteria and

viruses

The already endangered

gopher tortoise is

suffering from pet turtle

diseases

We are responsible for the impact we make

Humans are directly to blame

for the presence of these

invasive species in the

Everglades

We have to clean up

after ourselves

So…

Yes, there are

nonnative

species that are

not harmful to

the Florida

Everglades

BUT there are some,

like the python or the

Tegu lizard, that are

quite harmful

You shouldn’t release exotic pets

into the Everglades

Now What???The Parks and

Recreation

Department is

trying to get a

handle on invasive

species in the

Everglades

There is seasonal hunting

for the public allowed to

help reduce the python

population

It is now illegal to release

exotic pets into the

Everglades

Just remember, the Everglades are our home

too!

http://youtu.be/2IIfJzK2YZg

Works Cited

Beautiful Time Lapse of Everglades Camping. YouTube. YouTube, 07 Oct. 2012. Web. 18

Apr. 2013.

"Exotic Information." Exotic Information.Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

Florida Everglades: Monster Snakes. YouTube. YouTube, 21 June 2010. Web. 18 Apr. 2013.

"Florida's Invasive Species." Invasive Species List: Invasive Species Threaten Florida

Everglades, Wildlife.Web. 06 Apr. 2013.

"Invasive Species." Friends of the Everglades RSS.Web. 06 Apr. 2013.

Invasive Species in Florida.YouTube. YouTube, 05 Oct. 2011. Web. 18 Apr. 2013.

"Update on the Environmental and Economic Costs Associated with Alien-invasive Species

in the United States.” Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

Wilson, Edward. eds. Simberloff, Daniel, Schmitz, Donald, Brown, Tom. Strangers in

Paradise: Impact And Management Of Nonindigenous Species In Florida. Washington,

D.C.; Island Press,1997. Print.