Once pets, now threats

[Vitaliy]

Scores of non-native snakes, fish and reptiles are living in South Florida natural areas, where they perish — or where they prosper and damage the environment for native species.
By Willie Howard
Palm Beach Post Columnist
It's illegal, immoral and bad for the environment, but it happens all the time: Pet owners who no longer want snakes, fish and other animals set them free in South Florida, leaving them to suffer and die — or, perhaps worse, to thrive and compete with native animals in the wild.

- Full Article

 

[shoefreak03]

that is why they make certain fishes illegal to own, cause people keep releasing them once they get too big or no longer want them no more...

 

[TaratronVaeVictus]

Yet you can still get a pacu or an ID cat at PetsMart for $4.99 at 3 inches....

 

[Peanut_Power]

I just hope noone releases an araimapia....oy that would not be good!

 

[Pangong_ilong]

they already did in Florida. Or those were snakeheads hmm. need to research on that one

 

[Ash]

We have prob. everything here, I mean once you've seen a snake eat an alligator and explode and have african nile 7foot lizards attacking small childern and pets you know you have most non-native wild life running lose, I just hope that the total embalance they have in the everglades doesnt destory everything.

 

[softturtle]

We have prob. everything here, I mean once you've seen a snake eat an alligator and explode and have african nile 7foot lizards attacking small childern and pets you know you have most non-native wild life running lose, I just hope that the total embalance they have in the everglades doesnt destory everything.

I second that, FL is f***ing crazy!

 

[wism_chan]

Thanks for sharing this article....
nice one.....

 

[messiner]

I live in fl and it is crazy how many introduced species there are. Around where i live there are tons of tilapia and eventhe smallest creeks are full of chiclids (mostly JDs). I wanna go knife fish fishin!!
Oh yeah i almost forgot to tell ya about the python my dad caught! it was a 8 ft burmese and he caught it at my grand parents house! They live in anna maria ISLAND not even a big island only a couple miles long Happend like 8-9 yrs ago

 

[yourmylunch]

i also live in fl in the tampa area and catch salvinii and texas ciclids here