Fogbow

Florida is known as a state with a fondness for the exotic, from its long history of accommodating religious cults to the Bubble Room restaurant where every day is Christmas Day. But now time is running out for one type of eccentric Floridian: those who own or breed exotic and invasive reptiles and other non-native animals.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has ruled that within the next few weeks the breeding and dealing of 16 of the most ecologically-damaging non-native species must be brought to a halt. The ban will apply to several types of python that have proliferated to crisis point in the Everglades, as well as all types of tegu lizards, anacondas, Nile monitor lizards and green iguanas.

When the commission debated the rules last month it was inundated with comments, many from exotic pet owners and breeders pleading for the ban not to go ahead. As the Washington Post reported, one woman burst into tears over the idea of losing her pet iguanas and pythons.



Green iguanas have multiplied in Florida to such a degree since they were first spotted there in 1960 that they are regarded as an environmental hazard. They puncture seawalls, tear up sidewalks and carry salmonella.



To soften the blow to besotted pet owners, a concession has been tucked into the new regulations. Anyone who cannot contemplate the thought of being parted from their iguana or tegu can apply for a free permit.

sugar magnolia wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 11:08 am Stupid people. The most invasive species on the planet.
Too bad we can't legislate them away.

Authorities in Minnesota have appealed to aquarium owners to stop releasing pet fish into waterways, after several huge goldfish were pulled from a local lake.

Officials in Burnsville, about 15 miles south of Minneapolis, said released goldfish can grow to several times their normal size and wreak havoc on indigenous species.

“Please don’t release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes!” the city tweeted on Friday. “They grow bigger than you think and contribute to poor water quality by mucking up the bottom sediments and uprooting plants.”

Last November, officials in nearby Carver county removed as many as 50,000 goldfish from local waters. The county water management manager, Paul Moline, said goldfish “are an understudied species” with “a high potential to negatively impact the water quality of lakes”.

The goldfish (Carassius auratus) is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have become an invasive pest in parts of North America.[4]

Native to East Asia, the goldfish is a relatively small member of the carp family (which also includes the Prussian carp and the crucian carp). It was first selectively bred for color in imperial China more than 1,000 years ago, and several distinct breeds have since been developed. Goldfish breeds vary greatly in size, body shape, fin configuration, and coloration (various combinations of white, yellow, orange, red, brown, and black are known).

Suranis wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 8:46 pm They are essentially Carp, just bred to be golden.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfish

The goldfish (Carassius auratus) is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have become an invasive pest in parts of North America.[4]

Native to East Asia, the goldfish is a relatively small member of the carp family (which also includes the Prussian carp and the crucian carp). It was first selectively bred for color in imperial China more than 1,000 years ago, and several distinct breeds have since been developed. Goldfish breeds vary greatly in size, body shape, fin configuration, and coloration (various combinations of white, yellow, orange, red, brown, and black are known).

And they can get pretty large in the wild.


goldfish.jpg

The report said the discovery happened on Feb. 21 on public land in Naples when officials discovered a 7-foot wide mound of 11 pythons.

The team closely monitors snakes during breeding seasons and uses active searching and telemetry to remove the invasive species before the females have a chance to lay their eggs.

“For 10 years, we’ve been catching and putting them [Burmese pythons] down humanely. You can’t put them in zoos and send them back to Southeast Asia. Invasive species management doesn’t end with rainbows and kittens,” conservancy biologist Ian Bartoszek said. “These are remarkable creatures, here through no fault of their own. They are impressive animals, good at what they do.”

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida focuses on the research and removal of critical invasive species and understanding their behavior and ecological impact, according to their website.

Since 2013, the team has captured and removed more than 34,000 pounds of python from the region.

much ado wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:12 pm OMG! I didn't notice they were naked nekkid!!

Tiredretiredlawyer wrote: ↑Wed Mar 20, 2024 9:26 am

much ado wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:12 pm OMG! I didn't notice they were naked nekkid!!

FIFY!