What are some current threats to the Everglades Ecosystem?
When you join us for one of our Everglade tours, you will no doubt ask yourself- Looking into the future, what could potentially destroy the Glades?
As development began at the beginning of the last century and the Tamiami Trail was constructed reaching from the East Coast to the West Coast, many exotic plants were introduced to the Everglades area. Unfortunately these plants such as Brazilian Pepper, Melaleuca, and Australian pines all adapted well to the environment and blossomed across the Everglades. These invasive plants disrupt the natural cycle of the Southwest Florida ecosystem and today, efforts are still underway to remove these unwanted plants before they strangle out native species.
Alongside invasive plants, invasive animals can also cause lots of problems for the vast Everglades ecosystem. Among the predators that are affecting native animal populations are the Burmese python, the Nile monitor lizard and the Cuban treefrog. These species can out compete our native species for food, shelter, and can also take out large numbers of native animals.Many introduced species might not have any predators and they find themselves on top of the food chain. Unfortunately, many people still think that they can bring their non-native snakes and assorted reptile pets to the Everglades after they tire of them. The release of these non-native pets into the wild is one of the largest threats to all animal life in the Glades.
Restoring the Everglades is everyone’s job. All of us will continue to monitor local threats and take part in conservation efforts to remove these invasive species. When you take one of our amazing tours please enjoy what you are seeing and experiencing and also know that we also are closely monitoring restoration efforts taking place in this vibrant swampland ecosystem.