Visitors hiking the Mahogany Hammock Trail in Everglades National Park earlierthis month spotted an unfamiliar snake. It turned out to be a brand newinvasive species.
The hikers alerted park staff of the sighting. Park staff and biologists fromthe United States Geological Survey’s Fort Collins Science Center captured thesnake, which was identified as a non-native Central American milk snake. Itappears to be a solo snake, good news for a park and Everglades ecosystemoverrun by exotic invasive reptiles.
“This individual is thought to be a released pet because of its docilebehavior and unusual coloration,” USGS said in a statement, adding thisspecies has never been documented in the Everglades before. The only otherdocumented sighting in the wild in the United States was in California.
Visitors hiking the Mahogany Hammock Trail in Everglades National Park earlierthis month spotted an unfamiliar snake. It turned out to be a brand newinvasive species.
The hikers alerted park staff of the sighting. Park staff and biologists fromthe United States Geological Survey’s Fort Collins Science Center captured thesnake, which was identified as a non-native Central American milk snake. Itappears to be a solo snake, good news for a park and Everglades ecosystemoverrun by exotic invasive reptiles.
“This individual is thought to be a released pet because of its docilebehavior and unusual coloration,” USGS said in a statement, adding thisspecies has never been documented in the Everglades before. The only otherdocumented sighting in the wild in the United States was in California.
The milk snake, in its native habitat, has similar bands of red, yellow andblack as native coral snakes, which are highly venomous, but in a differentpattern. USGS photos of the one caught in the Glades show duller colors. TheCentral American milk snake isn’t venomous and can grow to about 70 incheslong.
The discovery came just weeks before Florida wildlife managers on Thursdayapproved new rules that ban the breeding and sale of tegu, green iguana and alist of other exotic snakes and lizards because reptiles that have escaped orbeen released have become a massive problem for the state — especially nativewildlife.
Early detection can help scientists and government agencies prevent theestablishment of populations, such as the case of Burmese pythons. The publiccan help scientists and wildlife managers track invasive species by takingphotos and reporting any sightings of unusual animals to local authorities orto the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System or by reportingsightings using the IveGot1 app.
Source: Adriana Brasileiro Yahoo News
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