Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This was what was posted on AOL today, they are thinking about killing them. If anyone is in Florida or any other state or any rescues please contact your local fish and game and help save these monitors!!!

CAPE CORAL, Fla. - Biologists in southwest Florida have set out to trap a species of giant, carnivorous lizards normally native to Africa that appear to be spreading through the region.

Cape Coral has become a haven for Nile monitor lizards, and their population in the Gulf Coast city has possibly reached the thousands, said Todd Campbell, a University of Tampa assistant professor of biology who has started a project to monitor the monitors. Options being studied include relocating or killing the animals.

The first official report of a monitor lizard in Cape Coral was in 1990. Since then, Cape Coral has received 145 reports.

Nile monitor lizards, which can easily grow to 5 feet, might have become established in Cape Coral in one of two ways, Campbell said. Some may have been released into the wild after being kept as pets, or the roaming lizards might all be descendants of a single pregnant female who was released.

Campbell and his assistants, working with state and federal grants, are trying to learn whether monitor lizards have become a threat to native species. The animals can hunt prey in the water, in trees and even underground.

``They likely eat anything they can fit in their mouths,'' said Gregg Klowden, a University of Florida biologist working on the project. ``In my opinion, burrowing owls are like popcorn snacks for them.''

In Africa, the lizards eat crocodile eggs, fish, mussels and snails.

``They certainly wouldn't have any problem with baby alligators,'' Campbell said, adding: ``These things eat oysters, so to crunch a gopher tortoise shell would be nothing. They probably eat armadillos, foxes, ground doves, reptiles, amphibians. There's one story of a lady finding a hatchling monitor eating goldfish out of her pond.''

07/18/03 20:03 EDT

Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
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If there literally are thousands of them like the report suggests, there isn't much we can do to help them. Especially since there seem to very many full grown adults. How could we find home for all those? Perhaps extermination is the only possibility other than sending them all back to africa, which would be very expensive and not very feasible. Its sad that a few irresponible owners caused such a big problem that will result in death for so many wonderful creatures, not to mention the cost to the local governments. Maybe someone can help set up a fund or something to help pay for at least some relocation. I would gladly donate to it.

Scott

I would gladly donate as well, but maybe if we can help some thats at least something!! It it was due to non responsible owners well thats horible!!! Niles are wonderful moniters. The state of Florida is not killing all there crocodiles or alligaters are they? They are way more distructful if you ask me.

If anyone has info on how to set up a fund to help these niles please let me know.

I already have a call into the assistant professer of Biology Todd Cambell in this situation. It is just so upsetting!!!
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The alligators are native to the area, so it would make sense to try and preserve the local species. Sometimes this can be taken too far though. In Idaho where i live, there is one species of trout (cutthroat or rainbow, i can't remember) that was introduced to the area by man. A lot of the environmentalists are lobbying to get rid of it because it shares the same food supply with one of the native species. I think that this is a waste of time and money. If it doesn't cause any species to go extinct in the area, what's the harm of it coexisting? The same goes with these monitors. Another step that could be taken would be a research team to decide if the niles are really threatening the environment and assess whether or not they should be removed and how.

Scott

there are no empty niches unless something has already gone extinct, so if an introduced species is surviving, something else is probably suffering through competition or predation. Perhaps not to the point of extinction.

In other words, if trout are doing well in that environment, some native fish that used to fill that niche is probably not doing very well. Ditto the nile monitors (and the niche wasn't necessarily filled by a reptile before)

"In 2001, the Commission received 16,749 nuisance alligator complaints. Nuisance alligator trappers were issued more than 14,085 permits and tags and removed 7,279 nuisance alligators. The gross value of nuisance alligator hides and meat produced in 2001 was approximately $2.3 million."

They do kill off alligators.

--Robert

http://wld.fwc.state.fl.us/gators/nuisance.htm

I have to wonder(i do a lot of that) Why the big deal? I lived in Fla. back in the late sixties and worked at a reptile park. At that time, there was feral everything. Large cats, monkeys, torts, monitors, lizards, snakes, crocs, fish, birds, plants and the worse, bugs. So why is it news? Why the concern now?

Is it possible the poor feral life is now getting blamed for mans expansion. Afterall, the flora and fauna, has not been normal for many many years. Since way before I lived there.

Maybe they should build a large fence across northern Fla. and call the south, a zoo, as thats what it really is and has been.

A thought for some of you biologist making comments, yes niles will eat alligators, but alligators will also eat niles. And niles can only consume small gators and eggs, the most expendible part of the system. But gators can comsume adult niles. It may end up, niles will become an important part of alligators diet. Remember, other historically large prey items have been eliminated by mans encroachment. About burrowing owls, they nest in open dry areas away from water. Niles are raparian and live and hunt around water.

I am not defending feral animals, but at this time, I have to wonder, which species are dominate, feral or native. F

but strangely enough usually your point is very much true!

Thanks, I think these forums are suppose to be amusing. But I did not have a point. I only offered some other ways to look at it. If you will read its something to think about.

I really hope people do not make conclusions or think about making points, when reading posts on the internet. As there is nothing here to allow that. At best, you should think. F

won't all the fire ants kill off the nile's egg sites

Guy

Why didn't I think of that. Yes, what about the ants? are they falling down on the job? After all, I had an ant that ate nile eggs or was she in denile or doing denile? Something, maybe it started with a P? cannot remember. F

np

I have to say your correct there is a ton of feral flora and fauna here has been for a very long time. I must say there is little talk about this down here other then in the immediate areas and even that is few and far between. Seems the people on this forum are more in touch with whats going on in some areas in Fl. then is actually floating around down here anyplace.

There are way more feral humans here then animals LOL

As for the niles eating the gators what Frank said is very true and I would not worry about the gators to much they can handle themselves.

If they want to kill off something they should look into these darn bugs

THough I may be criticized for my opinion on this matter, I have to agree with the State of Florida's stance on this issue. Needless to say, this is not the only feral species running rampant in Florida. Be that as it may, this species -is- feral, and despite the underlying fact that humans caused this problem, you can't explain that to the monitors and kindly give them the choice between containment and a one-way ticket to Africa. For the sake of the remaining native species, we have an obligation to attempt to remedy our mistakes. Florida is apparently studying the affect this species has upon native wildlife, which I commend, but I have to believe that -regardless- of the impact shown through these studies, our obligation to the long-term protection of native wildlife is paramount. If this requires the eradication of another species, now matter how well loved, so be it.