Invasive species are harming Florida's Everglades ecosystem. Many invasive species, like tegu lizards and pythons, were introduced through the release of exotic pets or escapes from wildlife sanctuaries. These invasive species threaten native animals by eating their eggs or preying on them. They also bring new diseases that endanger species like the gopher tortoise. While some introduced species may not cause harm, humans are responsible for the invasive species in the Everglades. Efforts are underway to control populations of harmful invasives like pythons through public hunting.

1. Environmental Impact of Invasive
Species on The Florida Everglades
Amanda Miller
Composition II.
April 18, 2013

2. Are nonnative, invasive species harmful to
Florida’s natural environment?

3. Here is a short video about invasive animal
species in the Florida Everglades:
http://youtu.be/jn6IrFqjYLE

4. 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.

5. 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

6. Releasing exotic species is fine because they’re
similar to native species

7. We’ve been wrong before…
In the 1930s everyone
thought the walking
catfish was going to
annihilate native fish
populations—it didn’t.

8. Many accepted “native” species were invasive
not that long ago

9. Invasive species are harmful to the Everglades

10. Invasive species
threaten native
species
The Tegu Lizard
eats the eggs of
the endangered
gopher tortoises

11. The python preys on everything—including the
endanger stork
Invasive pythons can even take
down Alligators!
http://youtu.be/E4k84KW07Sw

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. You shouldn’t release exotic pets
into the Everglades

16. 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

17. It is now illegal to release
exotic pets into the
Everglades

18. Just remember, the Everglades are our home
too!
http://youtu.be/2IIfJzK2YZg

19. 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.