Cat eating lizards invading Florida.....

[alucard0822]

I want to believe the non native species found there way there because of natural events, but the simple fact of the matter is that there are too many examples at widely varying times to dismiss that irresponsible owners are massively at fault in these cases. Do I believe some of the burms made it to the everglades because of a destroyed facility? Of course. Do I also believe people have been releasing them despite the laws? Absolutely.

I am not suggesting anything like the lacey act, I have always agreed that's it's stupid to punish all of us for the actions of a very few in an isolated area. However, if we as a community can't come up with a solution to the problem then of course the government will try to and we all know how that works out. Irresponsible ownership or not, these people became part of the reptile community the second they purchased the animal and it's on us to defend our community.

there is a lot to be said for doing our part to educate the masses, and police our own hobby. As posted before I think rescues and communities like this one that can educate people, or help find homes for unwanted pets are absolutely critical to keep our hobby flourishing. I don't doubt some people release their pets into the wild, plenty of evidence that demonstrates that as a source for cats and dogs, but not so cut and dry for reptiles.

Most of the studies I've seen about burms point to how difficult it was to establish a breeding colony without several being released into a relatively small hospitable area. The environment is relatively harsh in the everglades, inhospitable everywhere else, they don't migrate fast, territories are small, and compared to dogs and cats there are realtively few in captivity to be released in the first place, so the chances of finding another abandoned mate are slim. Although there are so many conflicting and biased studies trying to grab their share of funding, it's tough to tell what is the most credible.

The ironic thing about the "cat eating lizards" article is the "victimized" feral and "outdoor pet" cats are probably one of the most destructive invasive species in the country, but most people don't care, or worse, will lose their frickin mind if one of their outdoor "pets" gets trapped, eaten or shot while roaming around, terrorizing native birds, ripping up trash bags, and crapping all over the neighborhood, I'd rather have the lizards.