Definitions:
~Environment- That which surounds us.
~Ecosystems- Interactions between an organism and the environment.
~Niche- Role of the species; species can not occupy the same niche.
~Invasive- The population is growing out of control causing harm to humans, plants, and/or animals. Hint to remember: invasive aka invading!
~Exotic- From somewhere else; not part of the local ecosystem. Hint to remember: exotic aka non-native!
Some of the exotic and invasive species of Florida are Cattail, Strangler Plant, Melaleuca, Brazilian Pepper, Fire Ant, Cuban Tree Frog, Monk Parakeet, and Wild Hogs.
Where do these Invasive and Exotic animals and plants come from?
They come from:
~Pet Trade:The Iguanas on Gasparilla Island.
~Horticultural Industry: The Melaleuca Tree was brought here for other means, like shade.
~ Trade: The Black Rats would sneak off of boats and boxes and onto our land.
~ War: The Tiger Mosquito came when boats would drop there used water into our port water .
~ Biological Controls: The Cane Toad.
~ Hurricane: Brought the Monk Parakeet and Monkeys.
An animal that is exotic and becoming invasive in Florida is the Burmese Python. They have become a very big problem for areas like the Everglades in Florida. The have become such a big problem in the wild, because when some owners would get tired of these snakes they would just release them, not caring or knowing about the consequences of releasing pets into the wild. Another reason why they have become a growing problem is, because of hurricanes. When storms would pass through places like pet stores that hold these snakes would get blown over and the animals would be released, on accident. Since these animals are exotic they are posing a problem for animals that are native to the land. For example, birds now have even more predators to worry about, now that this snakes population is increasing in the Everglades. Since these predators can slither up trees to attack the birds, they are not even safe when nesting! In some cases predators are now becoming the prey. For instance, Alligators only real predator in the Everglades was the occasional hunter. Now that the Burmese Python has invaded the Everglades they are starting to compete with Alligators for food and territory. Scientist have even found Alligator bones in the snake’s stomach. This is why people need to be better educated about the dangers of invasive and exotic species. If they were better educated maybe we would not face issues like the invasion of these snakes in the Everglades.
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