UF researchers work to control caiman population in the Everglades

Wait, there's a fourth type of huge reptile living in south Florida?

Yes indeed, we have South American caimans, and they've been living in the wild here since at least the 1950s.

The other massive reptiles are the American alligator and the American crocodile, and Florida is the only place on Earth where those two coexist, as well as the infamous and invasive Burmese python.

Caimans have been established as a breeding population in the Everglades since the 1970s, according to a University of Florida report that examined the effectiveness of caiman population control and removal.

“Managing invasive wildlife will not be an in-and-out process, where we go in and remove wildlife and then think we are done,” said Frank Mazzotti, a UF/agriculture extension professor of wildlife and principal investigator for the caiman removal project, in a press release. “Even with early detection and rapid response, long-term removal efforts and multi-agency cooperation ― bolstered by continued monitoring ― will be key to success.”

What exactly are caiman?

• Native to Central and South America, caimans are relatively small when compared to alligator and crocodiles, but they may compete with our native species for food and resources.
• There are six types of caimans living in their home range, and they vary in size from about 5 feet in length (Cuvier's dwarf caiman) to about 13 feet in length (the black caiman).
• The spectacled caiman is the species that is prominent here, and they grow up to 8 feet in length.

More:Researchers: Asian crustacean is invading the lungs of south Florida's native snakes

The team that conducted this study was able to remove caiman from areas like Biscayne Bay and canal systems that lead to Everglades National Park, according to UF.

How do you control invasive species?

Some species, like the Burmese python, have likely forever established themselves in the Everglades system.

Caiman will likely stay here, too, to some degree, but removal in localized areas may be possible, according to the UF study.

More:'It hasn't been a guacamole year' on Lake Okeechobee, contrary to reports, scientist says

"This project was a huge success because it shows that sustained control efforts make a difference. It also shows that eradication of spectacled caimans may be a real possibility," said Larry Williams, Florida supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's ecological office. "Controlling invasive species is a dynamic and ever-changing endeavor, and this team got in there and experimented with different strategies and found some that are very promising."

Controlling caiman is part of restoring the Everglades

Various agencies say controlling and removing invasive populations are an important part of the $25 billion Everglades restoration, the largest wetland restoration project on the planet.

“True Everglades restoration cannot be accomplished without invasive species management, so the results of these efforts are encouraging," said Col. James Booth, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District. "We made a significant investment into invasive species management on two of our Everglades restoration projects, and that investment paid off. Everyone involved in providing support for this project should be truly proud of what was accomplished ― creating a science-based paradigm for successful invasive species management in the Everglades,”

Connect with this reporter: Chad Gillis on Facebook.