Environment

UF study warns invasive spectacled caimans could hinder Everglades restoration

University of Florida researchers have completed the first comprehensive review of the spectacled caiman, a small crocodile-like reptile from Central and South America that has been established in South Florida for more than 45 years. The study, synthesizing over 70 years of research, finds the invasive species competes with native wildlife for food and habitat in the Everglades’ canals, wetlands, and marshes. Scientists warn the caiman’s presence could complicate the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, described as the largest hydrologic restoration effort in U.S. history.

Sources: UF News · The Gainesville Sun