[Windguy]

Hi,

We recently had a discussion about dealing with the invasive brown Cuban anoles. There were some pretty divided opinions about what to do with them and no general concensus. So, I decided to get an official ruling. I went to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission web site to ask them. Here is their response to my question:

I appreciate your interest regarding invasive nonnative species. Nonnative reptiles, including brown anoles can cause negative affects on Florida's ecosystem including outcompeting native wildlife for food an habitat. Certainly no-one is required or would be forced to capture and humanely kill nonnative reptiles, however, if you have interest in doing so you should ensure you are on private property with landowner permission. Additionally, any nonnative species must be humanely killed following AVMA guidelines, more information on removing nonnative and humane killing protocols can be found on our website (Humane Killing Methods for Nonnative Reptiles | FWC).

Some of you want to control these illegal aliens and others wouldn’t want to kill these cute lizards. I wonder if people would feel the same if they looked like spiders.

You can use this information however you like.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Windguy

Hi,

We recently had a discussion about dealing with the invasive brown Cuban anoles. There were some pretty divided opinions about what to do with them and no general concensus. So, I decided to get an official ruling. I went to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission web site to ask them. Here is their response to my question:



Some of you want to control these illegal aliens and others wouldn’t want to kill these cute lizards. I wonder if people would feel the same if they looked like spiders.

You can use this information however you like.

Checking the data, Florida is currently home to over five hundred invasive species of various types. That's quite a lot. But this particular critter, the Cuban Brown Anole, has been in Florida (or at least reported in Florida) since before WW 2 and has no negative traits except that it competes with the Green Anole for food and may carry parasites. Since there seems to be plenty of Green Anoles arouind, and just about all reptiles carry parasites (DVM360: " It is believed that most if not all reptiles and amphibians living in the wild harbor parasites.) it doesn't sound like this particular critter is anything to get one's undies in a bundle over.

If I was worried about invasive species in Florida, I'd be far more concerned about the wild boars.

[JohnN]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

If I was worried about invasive species in Florida, I'd be far more concerned about the wild boars.

and PYTHONS

[LeRoySmith]

Originally Posted by JohnN

and PYTHONS

And New Yorkers! Please don't pith them, they don't mean any harm.

[Windguy]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Checking the data, Florida is currently home to over five hundred invasive species of various types. That's quite a lot. But this particular critter, the Cuban Brown Anole, has been in Florida (or at least reported in Florida) since before WW 2 and has no negative traits except that it competes with the Green Anole for food and may carry parasites. Since there seems to be plenty of Green Anoles arouind, and just about all reptiles carry parasites (DVM360: " It is believed that most if not all reptiles and amphibians living in the wild harbor parasites.) it doesn't sound like this particular critter is anything to get one's undies in a bundle over.

If I was worried about invasive species in Florida, I'd be far more concerned about the wild boars.

Well, Fish and Wildlife disagrees with you when you say they are no big deal. As for pythons and wild boar, I’ve never seen any of them in my lanai or inside my house. Even as a native Floridian, I’ve never seen either of them anywhere. When I was a kid in Miami, we loved the green anoles and liked the way they changed colors. We called them chameleons. After living out west for a few decades, I moved to TV 10 years ago. I saw my first green anole few weeks ago. I miss them.

A species doesn’t have to be deadly to damage the environment.

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

If I was worried about invasive species in Florida, I'd be far more concerned about the wild boars.

& Nile crocodiles!!!

[Taltarzac725]

They eat the ants which I really find helpful. The lizards I mean. Not the ants. Those white legged ants are a real nuisance and are also an invasive non-native species rather new to the Villages.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Windguy

Hi,

We recently had a discussion about dealing with the invasive brown Cuban anoles. There were some pretty divided opinions about what to do with them and no general concensus. So, I decided to get an official ruling. I went to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission web site to ask them. Here is their response to my question

Some of you want to control these illegal aliens and others wouldn’t want to kill these cute lizards. I wonder if people would feel the same if they looked like spiders.

You can use this information however you like.

Didn’t waste my time reading cause florida has bigger fish to fry.


I find them beneficial and I don’t care what FFG says, they catch insects and do IMO absolutely no harm. IMO it’s some invasive humans bulldozing every square inch also problem.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Dusty_Star

& Nile crocodiles!!!

And anaconda’s, snakehead’s, cane toads to name few more.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I say let nature sort itself out. All wild reptiles live with the risk of parasites. So there's nothing more risky about brown anoles compared to Carolina anoles (the light ones that live in the trees). Brown ones prefer the ground, Carolina ones prefer the trees, so there's not TOO much crossover there. They eat pretty much the same thing, so if you have a lot of them in your yard, it means they're being fed well. That means - you have a LOT of bugs and insects in your yard. They wouldn't thrive there if you didn't. Be grateful they're there to clean up on your behalf.

I've definitely seen a couple or three varieties of anoles around my house lately. But the juveniles are hatched and running around now, some are already mating. So 'tis the season and seeing them is expected.

[Velvet]

I train mine. They would hang by the garage door or front door and come in then I couldn’t find them and they die. So I put vinegar in a spray bottle (which also gets rid of the bugs they are sticking around for) and spray (not on plants) as soon as I open the door. They can also hear, unlike snakes who are deaf but I have a blower for them) and I’ve trained them to move away from where I am by simply clapping or saying, “s h i t z” which translated into English, means “scat”. Sometimes the leader stands on a rock and blows out his orange throat at me, and I just clap near his ear and he backs off. Lately I’ve just been using water in my spray bottle. High percentage vinegar killed one, which had not been my intention.

I have noticed too that the beautiful native emerald green smaller anoles are now almost completely gone.

[LeRoySmith]

Does anyone know what this is?

[Blueblaze]

Originally Posted by LeRoySmith

Does anyone know what this is?

I believe that's a "Skink", although it's probably some Florida-specific version. Even the cardinals have a different accent here, and I've lived in the South my whole life.

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by Velvet

....

I have noticed too that the beautiful native emerald green smaller anoles are now almost completely gone.

I've just recently seen a few of the green ones on my property.

[Blueblaze]

Species have been invading new environments since before there were people. Cuba is only 90 miles away, and we're surprised that a nearly identical lizard somehow found his way here? Who cares?

I think it's funny how the same people who freak out over "invasive species" generally consider a human invasion to be good for "diversity". If species were never allowed to invade new environments, 8 billion homo-sapiens would today be packed into three small countries in Africa.

Yes, snakes are (rather lousy) predators. I bet most of the rats they live on will adapt. I just find it really hard to get all that concerned about non-venomous pythons in the jungles of Florida, or non-native Iguanas hanging out on a street in Key West. I even sorta wish some of Tampa's cute monk parakeets would invade the Villages

In fact, I kinda like the brown lizards a little better than the native green ones, to tell you the truth. They seem friendlier and therefore easier to catch, when they get lost in my lanai and need a helping hand to get out.