UF Invader Updater

UF Invader Updater The Invader Updater newsletter focuses on topics related to invasive vertebrate animals in Florida and the southeastern U.S.

The Invader Updater is a quarterly newsletter published by Dr. Steve Johnson of the University of Florida/IFAS Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. This page supplements the newsletter by highlighting news, educational events, and other relevant topics.

01/06/2017

Bill Would Allow "Hunting Teams" to Capture Tegus and Other Invasive Species In February 2013, thousands of amateur Gladesmen and Vitamin D-deprived reporters descended upon the Everglades for Florida's very first Python Challenge. The goal of the contest, which came with a $1,500 grand prize, was to put a dent in the state's increasingly frightening Burmese python problem.…

12/03/2016

This python in Florida ate 3 deer in 90 days. That's not even the scariest part. Invasive pythons are devastating the Everglades — and there’s no limit to what they’ll eat.

11/01/2016

Rhesus monkey on the loose in Tampa Bay area Wildlife officials in Florida warned local residents to be on the lookout for an escaped monkey.

07/07/2016

Hey All:
When you have a minute check out this brief overview where I talk about non-native snakes in Florida. Please be a responsible pet owner and encourage others to do the same--never release an exotic pet into natural Florida. And should you encounter a non-native constrictor (e.g., python, boa, etc.) in the wild in Florida please report it immediately on EDDMapS and via the state's hotline at 1-888-IVE-GOT1.

04/05/2016

7th Annual Everglades Non-Native Fish Round Up The Everglades ecosystem is home to at least 22 nonnative freshwater fish species. These non-native fish may be causing detrimental changes to our native fish communities, particularly as the number of new species continues to increase. All but two of these fish were introduced illegally as the resu…

01/25/2016

Potential invasive species identified in S. Gulf of Mexico: Research shows non-native damselfish... New research centers around the diminutive regal damselfish, found in non-native waters in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Damselfish are some of the most beautiful fishes in the ocean, and that's why they are so attractive to those who want a saltwater aquarium in their home or place of business. But…

01/24/2016

Officials warn: Don't flush your goldfish Wildlife officials have recovered giant goldfish, piranha, Amazonian catfish, koi and even a caiman — a reptile related to alligators — from Minnesota waterways.

01/22/2016

Officer hauls in 16-foot python during Florida Python Challenge An FWC officer has earned some bragging rights after hauling in a whopping 16-foot Burmese python during the 2016 Python Challenge.

01/06/2016

Asian carp could cause some Lake Erie fish to decline, others to increase If they successfully invade Lake Erie, Asian carp could eventually account for about a third of the total weight of fish in the lake and could cause declines in most fish species -- including prized sport and commercial fish such as walleye, according to a new computer modeling study.