Your pet doesn’t belong in the wild! - University of Florida · • Florida has the largest wild...
Transcript of Your pet doesn’t belong in the wild! - University of Florida · • Florida has the largest wild...
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Your pet doesn’t belong in the wild!
Maia McGuireFlorida Sea Grant
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Native, non-native & invasive• Native species: A plant or animal that was in
North America when Columbus landed here.• Plants and animals that got here after
Columbus are called non-native or introduced species.
• Invasive species: A non-native animal or plant that becomes a problem because it harms native plants or animals, human health, the economy, or the environment.
• Not all non-native species are invasive.
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How do invasive species cause harm?
• They compete with native species for food, space, water etc.
• They cause disease• They damage crops• They eat or overgrow native species• They change the habitat/environment
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How do non-native species get here?
• “Hitch-hiking” on airplanes, trains, other vehicles, boats etc.
• Accidental escape of pets or animals/plants that are being farmed
• Deliberate release of animals or plants• Ballast water
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Most pets are not native to Florida
• Even native animals sold in Florida pet stores should not be released as they may not know how to survive in the wild
• It is illegal to release non-natives into the wild
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Red lionfish (Pterois volitans)
• Reported from Bahamas to New England (including Bermuda)
• Likely pathway of introduction: aquarium release
• Reproducing in the Atlantic• Venomous spines
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Other Pacific reef fish
• Between 1993 and 2002, 16 non-native fish species were documented in the Western Atlantic (including lionfish).
• 10 of these species were spotted at more than one reef location
• All species seen are imported as part of the marine aquarium trade
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Non-native freshwater fish species in Florida
• Map from USGS (1999 data)
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Blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus)
• Native to Africa, Middle East• Escaped from ponds• Common in central and south Florida• Competes with native animals for
spawning areas, food, habitat
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Cuban tree frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis)
• Largest tree frogs in N. America• Eat lizards, snakes, mice, birds, frogs
www.allaboutfrogs.org
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Apple snails (Pomacea spp.)• Eestablished in the Everglades• Reported in GA in 2005 (possibly
introduced by fishing boat which had visited Florida lakes)
FDEP
www.jaxshells.org
2005
2000
2008
1978
2008
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Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)
• Native to temperate South America• Released cage bird• Florida has the largest wild population in
the US (50-150,000 birds)• Potential agricultural pest• May damage power lines• May compete for habitat
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Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata)
• Can be aggressive• Droppings result in water pollution (adults
produce about 1/3 lb of manure/day)www.birds.cornell.edu
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Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus)
• Grow 6 feet in their first year; average adults are 18-20 feet long
• Hundreds of released/escaped Burmese pythons are breeding in the Florida Everglades
www.nps.gov
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Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus)
• Grow to be 6 feet long• Eat eggs, fish, frogs, small mammals• Can swim• Breeding in SW Florida, near the largest
colony of burrowing owls in the state
nas.er.usgs.gov
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Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
• Competes with native turtles (breeds with one species)
• Prey on fish• July 1, 2007—prohibited to sell or
distribute in FL
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Wild boar (Sus scrofa)
• Introduced for hunters 400 years ago
• Cause agricultural damage; destroy habitat
• Transmit disease to livestock and humans
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What can you do?
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Before you buy…
• Research the species– How big can it get?– What does it eat?– How long does it live?– What are its environmental requirements?– Can I take proper care of it?
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If you have a pet you can no
longer take care of…
• DO NOT RELEASE IT!!!
• Consider alternatives…
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Releasing a pet is unfair to it and unfair to the environment
• Pets may not be able to survive in the wild– They may starve– They may be attacked by other animals
• Pets that do survive may harm wildlife– By attacking them– By competing with them for food or other
resources
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Do the right thing!
• Don’t release your pet into the wild!