The Florida Everglades Management Project

Fundraisers!

GatorBoys Alligator Rescue (Gofundme)

Non-profit organizations!

The Florida Everglades Foundation

Petitions!

Stop the Port Everglades Expansion (change.org)

Stop drilling for oil in the Everglades (change.org)

Ban Phosphorus and Nitrogen fertilizer in the State of Florida (change.org)

Contact the People in power!

The Florida Everglades is a subtropical wetland that spans two million acres across South and Central Florida. It encompasses a mosaic of landscapes that include sawgrass marshes, freshwater ponds, prairies and forested highlands. The Everglades are connected by the seasonal overflow of Lake Okeechobee across the landscape into the Florida Bay leading to its dubbing as the “River of Grass”. [1, 2, 3] Landscape range illustrated below:

Due to the wide variety of habitats, the Everglades has a rich biodiversity with over 360 bird species alone! Unfortunately, human encroachment and pollution by urban development projects since the 1800s has led to most of the species in the Everglades being labelled as threatened, endangered or extinct. [1]

Everglade is not limited to animal diversity as it also supports a wide diversity of plant species. The unique mix of salt and freshwater give rise to a variety of wetland plant diversity from looming mangroves to a various rare and delicate orchids. [1, 2]

In terms of ecological services, the Florida Everglades provide a plethora of different service such as:

water filtration and irrigation [1]

flood buffer and regulation [4]

migration pathway

recreation resources (fishing, boating, swimming, etc.) [5]

ecosystem habitat

ETC.

Between the current destruction status and the range of unique environmental features, endangered biodiversity, and vital ecological services the Florida Everglades has been categorized as an endangered North American ecoregion. Recovery efforts by the cooperation of various levels of government, non-profit organizations and academic bodies are underway in an effort to rehabilitate and revitalize this crucial ecoregion.

-MOD Isabel

RB AND SPREAD AWARENESS!!!

Sources:

National Wildlife Federation. (n.d.). The Everglades.

South Florida Water Management District. (n.d.). Everglades.

World Wildlife Foundation (n.d.). Flooded Grasslands and Savannas: Everglades.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2015). Why are wetlands important?

Scientific name:  Puma concolor coryi Status: Endangered (less than 100 left in the wild)

Threats: 

1. Overhunting: In 1832, a bounty was placed on the species due to perception that the Florida panther was a threat to human, livestock and game animal populations. Targeted hunting lead to the near extinction of the species by the mid-1950′s. [1]

2. Habitat loss/ fragmentation/ degradation: Whereas females tend to overlap territory, male panthers must disperse great distances to avoid competition with older dominant males. The average mature male requires habitat ranges upwards of 979 square kilometers (378 square miles)! Conversion of the panther’s habitat for urban developments and agriculture has limited the amount of space available for these Big Cats to less than 5% of the original range. This increases the risks of interactions with people (ex. panther attacks) and panther deaths by vehicle collisions. [2] 

read: The Florida Everglades: Impact of Agriculture [need link] for more info on how conversion of the Florida Everglades for agriculture is impacting the environment.

3. Genetic Diversity: Due to a small wild population size and reduced immigration, the genetic variation and the frequency of inbreeding within wild Florida panther populations has reached a point of great concern. Without sufficient genetic diversity, panthers become highly vulnerable to diseases/environmental toxins and other natural mortality factors. [1, 2]

4. Mercury pollution: Mercury pollution was first identified in 1989 due to the mysterious death of one of the protected female Florida panthers which was later discovered to have died from eating mercury-laced Everglades fish. Mercury enters the Everglades as heavy metal air pollution carried by air currents and thunderstorms from metal mining/smelting, coal-fired devices/factories, and solid-waste incinerators in Florida and sometimes other nations! Mercury combines with rainwater and deposits into the Everglades where bacteria and algal mats convert it into methylmercury for accumulation in body tissues up the food chain. Predators at the top of the food chain like the Florida panther (and humans!!!) then eat the largest concentrations of mercury and die of mercury poisoning. [1]

Solutions:

1. Habitat protection: A number of refuge sites have been designated to protect the breeding and habitat ranges (a, b, c) of the Florida Panther and encourage natural recovery of the population. [3]

2. Genetic Restoration by Temporary Reinforcement: In 1995, eight female Texan panthers (a sister subspecies) were released into the native Florida panther range producing 20 kittens. This program has been attributed as a factor in the increase of genetic variation by 2003 and boosting the population size from 50-70 panthers in 1995 to 100-160 panthers in 2020. [4, 5]

3. Regulations and Policies: Once officially recognized as an endangered species in 1973, policies and regulations in accordance to the Endangered Species Act have been introduced to balance conservation and industry. Under these laws, mercury pollution has dropped by 60-70% and panther bounty hunting has been outlawed [1].

4. Government Conservation Projects: A number of projects have been dedicated protecting, researching and monitoring Florida Panther populations in hopes of eventually removing the species from the Federal threatened and endangered species list. 

DO YOUR PART! 

SLOW DOWN near panther country and wilderness areas

REPORT sightings to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and interactions to the wildlife hotline: 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Include whether the animal is tagged (on ear) or has a tracking device collar. DO NOT APPROACH!

Help orphan and injured panthers by visiting the Help Injured Panthers Return to the Wild website (DONATE! REPORT!)

-MOD Isabel

RB AND SPREAD AWARENESS!!!

Sources:

National Park Service, U.S Department of the Interior. (2017, October 17). Florida Panther: Species Profile.

National Wildlife Federation. (n.d.). Florida Panther.

U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior. (2020, July 28).  Florida panther.

Koriakin, K., & Boughton, R. K. (2020, June 2). WEC422/UW467: Wildlife of Florida Factsheet: Florida Panther. 

Scientific name:  Trichechus manatus

Status: Threatened 

Threats:

1. Habitat loss/ fragmentation: Manatees are solitary migratory creatures capable of creating loose social gatherings when breeding or scavenging for seagrasses and aquatic vegetations. They require shallow, warm and slow-moving waterbodies in freshwater and saltwater environments that are plentiful in the Florida Everglades. A portion of the manatee’s warm-water habitat and migration passages have been converted for boat ports and trade routes, and water-side developments. This has restricted seasonal migrations (often becoming stranded in less hospitable waters), increased the risk of boating-related injury and mortality, and increased the frequency of cold-stress related mortality. [1, 2] 

Additionally, due to significant loss of warm water reservoirs manatees have been migrating to waters near power plants which discharge water water after use. While acting as a warm water refuges during colder seasons the loss of plants as they are shutdown increases the risk of cold-stress related deaths. [3]

2. Fishing and Boating: As aquatic mammals that prefer shallow waters, manatees spend a large portion of their lives near the water surface with an average diving time of 4.5 minutes (12 minutes maximum). Calves are capable of diving shallow depths in nursery waters while adults dive into deeper waters to feed on deep-water vegetation or nap. Increased human presence in manatee habitats for commercial fishing, boat transportation and recreational boating has increased the frequency of fatal boating collisions and entanglement in fishing gear (bycatch). Manatees have also been crushed or drowned in canal locks and flood control structures. [3, 4]

3. Water pollution:  Pollution of the manatee’s habitat ranges from cut fishing lines/nets and garbage to chemical runoff that cause algal blooms (ex. red blooms). Manatees have been known to die after accidentally eating fishing hooks and litter or eating chemically-contaminated seagrasses. Red tides/blooms, in particular, are dangerous due to the neurotoxin released by dinoflagellates (aquatic microbes) which cause seizures leading to suffocation and drowning. [3, 4, 5]

read: The Florida Everglades: Impact of Agriculture for more info on how conversion of the Florida Everglades for agriculture is impacting the environment.

4. Climate Change: Climate change affect manatee populations in a number of ways. Increased frequency and intensity of hurricane and tropic storms has lead to the increased number of stranded/beached manatee cases. Unlike seals, manatees lack the muscles to drag themselves back into the water leaving them vulnerable to vehicles, predators and other land-based threats. Increased water temperature while theoretically beneficial (manatees require warm waters) is actually detrimental as the increase will cause seagrass availability to change, sea levels to rise (icecap melting) and funding to be reallocated away from individual species conservation. With increased water levels, manatees are more likely to wander outside of protected zones which reduces the effectiveness of refuge efforts. [5]

Solutions:

1. Habitat protection: A number of refuge sites have been designated to protect West Indian Manatees along their migration routes (including breeding sites), encourage natural population recovery, provide safe warm water refuges and provide a safe area to release rehabilitated manatees back into the wild. These sites are designed, monitored and regulated through the collaboration of southeastern United States, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean governments, academics and non-profit organizations. [1, 2]

Habitat protection has also been extended to the aquatic vegetation manatees rely upon for food due to their importance to the continue survival of manatee populations and economic value through fishing and tourism. [1]

2. Policy and Regulation: West Indian Manatees are protected under both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act and as such all human activity near and concerning the species is heavily monitored and regulated. Restrictions are also being introduced to decrease development in coastal high-hazard area to allow for protection of carbon sinks and habitats. [4, 5]

3. Government Conservation Projects: A number of local and international collaboration projects have been dedicated to rescuing, protecting, researching and monitoring West Indian Manatees populations in hopes of eventually removing the species from the Federal threatened and endangered species list. Specifically, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and U.S Fish and Wildlife Service oversees the Manatee Rescue Network which captures, transports and treats reported manatees so that they may be released and monitored by the Manatees Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP).

DO YOUR PART!

AVOID shallow grass beds when boating and practice safe boating

DO NOT APPROACH! Manatees are docile curious creatures but acclimating them to human interactions can be extremely dangerous to their long-term survival (ex. losing foraging skills, easier for poachers to approach, more likely to approach boats, etc.)

See the Manatee Manners videos produced by the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge for safe practices

REPORT sightings of sick/injured/distress manatees here or call the wildlife rescue hotline: 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Include whether the animal is tagged (on fins) or has a tracking device. DO NOT APPROACH!

Fight Climate Change! Cutdown your carbon footprint and resource consumption! Talk to your government representatives about their Climate Change and Conservation action plans. Let them know you care about these issues!!

DONATE to recognized non-profits like Save the Manatee Club

-MOD Isabel

RB AND SPREAD AWARENESS!!!

Sources:

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (2021). Manatee Habitat.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (2021). West Indian manatee.

U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior. (2019, March 25). West Indian manatee. 

Save the Manatees Club. (2017, May 31). Manatee facts - save the manatee club. 

National Wildlife Federation. (n.d). West Indian Manatee

Want to know more about the endangered species inhabiting the Florida Everglades? Check out:

Everglade Species: https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/techecklist.htm Global Species: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory?direction=desc&page=2&sort=extinction_status

-MOD Isabel

Discussed here is one of the biggest and cruel murderers responsible for 90% of the decline in the overall biodiversity richness in the Southern Florida Everglades, better known as the Burmese python (Python bivittatus). As this alien species presents a hindrance in the Everglades natural flow and function, it has been a key species to capture and remove to bring back the resiliency of the Florida Everglades ecosystem.

How are these invasive species introduced to Florida’s Everglades?

Native to Southern and Southeastern Asia, the constrictor Burmese pythons were introduced to the United States in the 1980s through exotic pet trades [1]. With visually appeasing, camouflaging scales, it became a pet-of-interest for Americans. Between 1996-2006, there was a steady increase with 100,000 pythons being imported internationally from Southern Asia to the U.S. with 1000 of the pythons being held in captive breeding sites, and the rest being used for trade shows at $20 and being sold as pets for $70 [2]. However, owners who had initially bought these pets had not been made aware of the full extent of its size, and once these pythons had begun to increase up to its usual maximum 18 ft in length, the pet owners would illegally release these alien invasive reptiles into the wild where they would make their way to the Southern Everglades. [3].

The disastrous category 5 Hurricane Andrew struck the Burmese python captive site in Florida in 1992. The pythons were able to escape the site and eventually slither their way into the marshes and water beds of the Everglades [3]. Through survey conductance, it was estimated that 10,000 of these pythons roamed along the wetlands of the Florida Everglades.

How are the Burmese pythons able to thrive in the ecosystem?

The python’s native subtropical Asian climate (Bhutan, India, Thailand, Vietnam) allowed it to adapt to the temperate and climatic conditions presented in the Everglades without much resistance. For survival, these reptiles require 0℃ (32℉), and 16℃ (61℉) to digest nutrients [4]. As Florida can reach a low of 12℃ (54℉), the pythons can undergo shivering thermogenesis where they generate enough body heat to regulate metabolism and bodily functions, nurse their eggs (females may lay up to 50 eggs), as well as simply remain alive. However during the harsher winters, they form burrows under the soil and remain brumated in a dormant state to remain alive until the harsh cold conditions pass-by [4]. Due to the inability to remain steady in cold conditions, the pythons remain densely aggregated in the Southern marshes of the Everglades rather than migrating northwards. Thus, an increase in breeding of the reptile can be seen in the Southern wetlands [4]. Being semiaquatic, these snakes would be able to spend its time in the marshes as well as most of its time on-land, in the woodlands, and on trees [4].

The Burmese pythons are the alpha/apex predators of the food chain once introduced into this ecosystem. They remain at the top of the trophic cascade and feed on the many mammal, bird, and even reptile species of the Everglades. This alien invasive monster has been one of the most leading cases of the loss of almost 90% or the biodiversity of small mammals and birds that were present pre-introduction of the pythons to the Southern Everglades. With no natural predator (other than humans) to regulate and maintain the predatory species population, it has allowed the python to overpopulate and compete for food sources with other top-of-the chain predators (American Alligators) for food sources. While preying on the native and exotic species, it has caused a huge reduction in many of the mammals in this ecosystem approaching extinction and in endangerment and eventually the disruption of the whole ecosystem by altering its balance. Although the alligator had been previously thought to be a contributing predator of the python, it has been observed that the snake can prevent itself from being preyed on by the American alligator and can even consume the American Alligator with an increased angle of it’s hinged jaw to indulge the enormous Alligator. [5]. 

The video below demonstrates an American alligator’s failed attempt in trying to prey the Burmese python *WARNING: GRAPHIC MATERIAL*

What ecological threats do the Burmese pythons pose?

A general top-down pressure effect as the python has been the culprit behind the greatest decline in biodiversity richness of the Florida Everglades. With a 99% decrease in the Opossum population, 88% decline in bobcat population, 99% decline in raccoon population, 77% loss in marsh rabbit population, 94% decline in white-tail deer population, general depletion in wood stork populations, and indirect declines in the already endangered Florida Panther species (by consuming it’s main source of nutrients- racoons and rabbits) as well as the decline of the American Alligator species (by consuming it’s nutrients- wood stork birds, white-tail deers) [6].

The decline in the native keystone species poses a great threat on the functionality and integrity of the ecosystem as a whole due to the higher risk of extinction in the prime species required for maintaining the food chain with its larger influence. The Burmese pythons illegally released have disrupted the fluidity and  biodiversity richness of the Florida Everglades by catalyzing the rate of extinction for many of the species as this killer has remained the top predator in the trophic cascade in a top-down regulation of predators and prey. The decrease in food sources from consumption of the mammals of the competing of the food sources with other top predators has disrupted the food chain severely.  With the greater rate of extinction of the mammals, reptiles, and bird species of the Everglades, the Florida Everglades remains at threat of the whole ecosystem eventually falling apart and eventually collapsing, all due to the introduction of the non-native Burmese python.

What are the current solutions and regulations implemented to prevent further damage from this invasive species?

1. Lacey Act- United States Fish and Wildlife Service [2]

Updated in March 2010, the proposition of four constrictor snake species were labeled as “injurious to wildlife”, including the Burmese python.

The Lacey act was amended by the congress to ensure that Individuals who have permission to legally own the python are not allowed to participate in interstate or continental transport, selling, or trading. With permission from the state law, they are only to be used for exhibition services in sanctuaries, zoological services, education activities, medical or research purposes.

It is illegal to own the python as a pet.

Failure to comply with the regulations will be deemed as a criminal penalty with facing a fine up to $20,000 and a prison sentence up to 5 years.

2. Pythons support science team: Radio-telemetry [2]

In December 2005, seventeen of the adult pythons were extracted from breeding aggregates during breeding season and were surgically implanted with very high frequency (VHF) radio transmitters.

These pythons were tracked at least one week for monitoring and collecting data to build upon the regulation services.

3. Pythons support science team: Trap Design [2]

Traps were designed (between the years of 2008-2009) in order to capture and remove the Burmese pythons from the Everglades.

These projects are funded in order to further design, put-into-action, and continue to monitor and make adaptive management to the already existing designs of the python traps. Research comes from the distribution density of the pythons, the diet, and its movements in order to recognize where exactly to implement the traps and how to construct them to capture the pythons.

4. Pythons support science team: Capture and Removal [2]

Using isolated pheromones in order to bait pythons together is a method to aggregate the population into high density to make it easier to bait them into tracks, capture them, remove, and euthanize them.

Dogs have been recently trained in order to recognize the smell of these serpents to capture them.

5. Law enforcement [2]

The fine for illegally releasing the exotic wildlife in Florida would be seen as a first-degree misdemeanor and charges can be up to $1000 with one year in prison.  

ROCS (reptiles of concern)- to limit this, owners of Burmese pythons must purchase an annual $100 permit. If ROC is greater than two inches must be implanted with a microchip. Reptiles of concern (ROC’s)

Burmese owners (with special permission from the state) must purchase an annual permit of $100. If the ROC is larger than two inches, an implant microchip must be surgically implanted into the serpent.

6. Non-permit hunting [2]

Should be a last resort

Fish and Wildlife conservation encourages individuals to locate and hunt for the Burmese pythons when located (firearm is allowed)

Permit or hunting license is not required.

Click here for more information on solutions/regulations!

What can I do to help?

Use the information you now know (or a little further research won’t hurt) to educate your peers and community about the downsides of owning and illegally releasing exotic pets.

Be able to tell apart Florida’s native snakes with the invasive snakes.

When python is spotted, sightings must be reported to USNPS python Line: 305-815-2080 or the Keys python line: 1-888-483-4681

If you or someone you know wants to get rid of the exotic pet, there is a website called “Exotic Amnesty days” to get rid of the python with no questions asked.

-MOD Oshini

Sources:

Pyron, R.A., et al. (2008). Claims of potential expansion throughout the U.S. by invasive python species are contradicted by ecological niche models. Plos ONE, 3(8):e2931. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002931

Harvey R.G., et a. (2020). University of Florida. Python Factsheet. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/upload/ifaspythonfactsheetsecure.pdf

Dorcas, M.E., et al. (2012). Severe mammal declines coincide with proliferation of invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park. Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America (PNAS), 109(7):2418-2422.

Snow, R.W., et al. (2010). Thermoregulation by a brooding Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in Florida. Southeastern Naturalist, 9(2):403-405.

McCleery, R.A., et al. (2015). Marsh rabbit mortalities tie pythons to the precipitous decline of mammals in the Everglades. Proceedings of The Royal Society B, 282:20150120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.0120 

How was the invasive species introduced to Florida’s Everglades?

The Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) is a native African lizard found along the Nile River in sub-saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal to Egypt [1]. Being an expensive product of the exotic wildlife trade to the United States, this lizard has been a species of interest for being the largest African lizard (can be as long as 18 feet), for exhibition purposes, and research methodology [1]. When it was introduced to the United states in 1990, these species were kept as pets or they were kept in captive breeding facilities. However, with the use of their sharp claws, excellent climbing skills and sharp teeth for tearing, they were able to escape the cages of their confinements and crawl out to make their way into the wild [1]. Owners of the facilities and even pet-owners  may also release these lizards into the wild to fend for themselves if they become difficult to handle by means of difficulty in feeding, regulating, managing and if they become sick and are not valuable enough for the exotic wildlife trading [1]. Natural disasters such as hurricanes that damage the captive bred facilities is another contribution to the overall damage of the facility and release of the species into the Everglades.

How are the Nile Monitor lizards able to thrive in the ecosystem?

As these lizards are native to the peak climatic conditions of sub-Saharan Africa, with similar subtropical climate present in Southern Florida, it has not been difficult for the Nile Monitors to disperse and thrive to its potential. Being semi-aquatic lizards, they have the capability of spending 15 minutes underwater before swimming back to surface for air [1]. The Everglades presence of marshes and water beds have made it easy for the lizards to find habitat in these conditions as well as on dry-temperate land of the grassy patches, on trees and burrowed under soil [1]. Weather surviving harsh winter conditions burrowed underground, fulfilling the needs of their semiaquatic needs by spending time on-land and in-water, the various trees and preys present to keep them in-tact, the Florida Everglades ecosystem has allowed them to establish and take full range on land while continuing to breed and populate, slowly taking over wetland.

What ecological threats do they pose?

The biggest threat that is posed to the Florida Everglades by these non-native reptilian lizards is that they are one of the top apex predators of the food chain with very few regulative predators keeping them intact (other than the Burmese pythons which are able to constrict these lizards during competition for a food source). Using their sneaky tactics, when prey (mostly laid eggs) are present, these lizards are able to make their way quickly to the food source, snatch the egg before it abruptly consumes its contents. Their typical diet consists of prey on-land and underwater, being newly-hatched alligators, eggs of burrowing owls, eggs of wood storks, eggs of turtles, and hugely threatens the brown pelican and the near threatened Diamondback terrapin turtle species as consumption of their eggs has declined their population size [2]. The issue has been consuming much of the native reptile and bird species of the Everglades, leading to the decline of their populations. This itself has edged species such as the Diamondback terrapin in a threatened place as their population size continues to decline as they prey these organisms to possible extinction. With consumption of the eggs of American Alligators, there has been a significant decline in the population of the native alligator species. Thus, before these keystone species go extinct, it is essential that these invasive species are removed from the ecosystem before the potential collapse of the ecosystem from the extinction of the regulatory organisms which keep the ecosystem intact. 

What are current solutions and regulations implemented to prevent further damage from this invasive species?

The following lists some of the regulations that have been put in place for preventing the further establishment of these invasive species which are similar to some of the other non-native reptiles found in the Florida Everglades (as of present, there have not been very much regulations put into place to control the spread of the invasive species):

1. Lacey Act- United States Fish and Wildlife Service [3]

- The Lacey act was amended by the congress to ensure that Individuals who have permission to legally own the Monitor Lizard are not allowed to participate in interstate or continental transport, selling, or trading. With permission from the state law, they are only to be used for exhibition services in sanctuaries, zoological services, education activities, medical or research purposes.

- Having a Nile monitor has been announced illegal in the United States (without special permit). 

- Failure to comply with the regulations will be deemed as a criminal penalty with facing a fine up to $20,000 and a prison sentence up to 5 years.

 2. Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) [3]

- Involvement of early detection of these invasive predators and capturing them before they disperse into the ecosystem, aggregate and populate. Earlier preventative measures (although as of present, it has been difficult to detect the lizards in its early intervention). 

3. Non-permit hunting [3]

-Should be a last resort

-Fish and Wildlife conservation encourages individuals to locate and hunt for the Nile Monitors when located (firearm is allowed)

-Permit or hunting license is not required.

What can I do?

1. If you or someone you know wants to get rid of the exotic pet, there is a website called “Exotic Amnesty days” to get rid of the python with no questions asked.

2. If you have spotted a Nile Monitor, record the location and report this sighting by dialling: 1-888-IVE-GOT-1.

3. Be able to tell apart Florida’s native snakes with the invasive snakes.

4. An app “IveGot1'' has been developed for quick and easy reporting. Available on Apple IOS Appstore and Android’s GooglePlay store. 

-MOD Oshini

Sources: 

Harvey R.G., et al. (2020). University of Florida. Python Factsheet. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/upload/ifaspythonfactsheetsecure.pdf

Florida Fish and Wildlife. (1999). Nile Monitor. Agency Regulatory Plan. Retrieved from  https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reptiles/monitors/nile-monitor/