Wildlife in Florida

Angeline Scotten Senior Wildlife Assistance Biologist Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Agenda        

Agency Overview Captive wildlife Identification Non-native species in Polk County Nuisance wildlife Feeding rule Contact information Questions

Crested caracara, photo curtsey of Ron Bielefeld

FWC overview  State Wildlife Regulatory Agency – Protects and manages:  More than 575 species of wildlife  More than 200 native species of freshwater fish  More than 500 species of saltwater fish

FWC overview  Mission: managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of the people.  Public responsibilities: – – – –

Law enforcement Research Management Outreach

Captive Wildlife

Captive Wildlife  FWC enforces the statutes and regulations governing Florida’s wildlife industry  FWC officers routinely conduct inspections to ensure compliance  Additional information: – http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/captivewildlife/ – 850-488-6253 – [email protected]

Captive Wildlife  FAC 68A-6 covers possession of wildlife in captivity and permit requirements – – – – – – –

Categories Possession/ transfer Sales General regulations Public contact Caging requirements Etc.

Captive Wildlife  Florida requires permits for wildlife possession, exhibition and sale  Commercial and private facilities must have permits for many types of native & nonnative animals – Includes zoos, circuses, alligator farms, pet shops, tropical fish farms, rehabilitators – Anyone who owns a Class I,II or III animal

Captive Wildlife- Class I  Class I Wildlife- Those that pose a significant danger to people  Substantial experience and specific caging requirements must be met  Permits are required for public exhibition  Prohibited from personal possession*

*Unless the animal was possessed before August 1, 1980 or on or before August 27, 2009 for cougars, panthers or cheetahs

Captive Wildlife- Class I          

Baboons Bears Black caimans Cape buffalo Cheetahs Chimpanzees Cougars, panthers Crocodiles Drills & mandrills Elephants

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Gavials Gibbons and siamangs Gorillas Hippos Hyenas and aardwolf Jaguars Komodo dragons Leopards Lions Orangutans Rhinos Snow leopards Tigers

Captive Wildlife- Class II  Class II Wildlife- can also pose a danger to people  Substantial experience and specific caging requirements must be met  Permits are required for public exhibition, sale or personal possession

Captive Wildlife- Class II               

African golden cats African hunting dogs Alligators, caimans American badgers Binturongs Bobcats Caracals Cassowary Clouded leopards Douc langurs Dwarf crocodiles European and Canadian lynx Fishing cats Giraffe & okapi Guenons

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Guereza monkeys  Honey badgers Howler monkeys  Idris Indian dholes Langurs Macaques & Celebes  black apes  Managabeys Ocelots Old world badgers Ostrich Patas monkeys Sakis Servals Snub-nosed langurs Tapir Temminck’s golden cats Uakarus

Vervet, grivet or green monkeys Wild cattle; forest, woodland and aridland antelope & similar *non-native hoofstock Wolverines Wolves, coyotes & jackals

Captive Wildlife- Class III  Permit required for personal possession, exhibition or sale  Any non-domesticated wildlife species that’s not Class I or II  Includes but not limited to: parrots, finches, skunks, foxes, geckos, snakes and frogs  No formal list but…

Captive Wildlife- Class III The following species do not require a permit for personal possession as long as no other rule or statute applies  Hamsters  Button quail  Honey possums, sugar gliders  Canaries  Lovebirds  Chinchillas  Moles; shrews  Myna birds  Cockatiels  Parrots  Doves: ringed, ruddy and  Prairie dogs diamond  Rabbits  Ferrets (domestic; European)  Rats and mice  Finches  Reptiles or amphibians  Gerbils, hedgehogs (nonvenomous, unprotected species that are NOT listed as endangered,  Guinea pigs conditional, etc)  Shell parakeets  Squirrels; chipmunks  Toucans

Captive Wildlife- Conditional reptiles & lizards  Not allowed to be acquired for personal possession  Dealers, exhibitors, researchers and trappers may apply for a permit to import or possess conditional snakes and lizards

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Indian or Burmese python Reticulated python Northern African python Southern African python Amethystine python Scrub python Green anaconda Nile monitor

Captive Wildlife- Conditional nonnative wildlife  FAC 68-5  Dangerous to the ecology and/or health and welfare of the people of Florida

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Conditional reptiles Red-eared sliders Nutria Some freshwater fish & crayfish

Captive Wildlife- Venomous reptiles  FAC 68A-1.004 (87)  A license is required to capture, keep, possess or exhibit any venomous reptile  All venomous reptiles in class Reptilia belonging to families: – – – –

Elapidae Crotolidae Viperidae Hyprophiidae

 All reptiles in the genus Heloderma  All reptiles in the family Colubridae belonging to the genera:     

Rhabdophis Boiga Dispholidus Thelatornis Atractapsis

Captive Wildlife- Protected species  No person shall take, possess, or sell and of the endangered or threatened species and there parts thereof….  68A-27, Threatened & endangered species http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/imp eriled/profiles/  Migratory Bird Treaty Act – Prohibits killing, capturing, possession, sale, transportation and exportations of birds, feathers, eggs and nests – Nearly every native bird species in the US is covered

Captive Wildlife- Protected species

Painted bunting

Indigo bunting

Identification

Nonnative snakes

African rock python- conditional Burmese python- conditional

African Rock (left); Burmese (right)- both conditional

Nonnative snakes

Green anaconda- conditional

Reticulated python- conditional

Nonnative snakes

Ball python Common boa/ red-tail boa

Nonnative lizards

Argentine black & white tegu

Nile monitor- conditional

Savannah monitor

Nonnative amphibians

Cane toad

Cuban tree frog

Nonnative species in Polk County               

Argentine black & white tegu Savannah monitor Cuban treefrog Cane toad Rock pigeon European starling Muscovy duck Green iguana Tokay gecko Mediterranean gecko Ball python Common boa Domestic ferret House sparrow Monk parakeet

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Brahminy blind snake Panther chameleon Veiled chameleon African spurred tortoise White-nosed coati Nile monitor Burmese python …..

Native snakes

Eastern hognose

Florida pine snake

Eastern coachwhip

Native snakes

Black racers

Eastern indigo snake

Yellow rat snake

Corn snake

Native venomous snakes

Cottonmouths

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake

Native venomous snakes

Dusky pygmy rattlesnake Coral snake

Canebrake rattlesnake Copperhead

Nuisance/ conflict wildlife

Nuisance Wildlife Definition  FWC definition 68A-1.004 F.A.C.– Causes or about to cause property damage – Presents a threat to public safety – An annoyance within, under or upon a building

Bobcat, photo curtsey of Laura Bender- Jupiter

Some people define ‘nuisance’ as presence of an unwanted animal.

Nuisance wildlife rule: 68A-9.010 F.A.C  Allows the ‘take’ of nuisance wildlife by means other than gun and light*, steel traps*, or poison. – *Gun and light permit not required for take of non-protected mammals – *Steel traps can be used with a permit for otter, beaver, bobcat, coyote and fox

 Nuisance wildlife can be taken on another’s property only with the landowner’s prior approval.

Gray fox & river otters

Nuisance wildlife rule: 68A-9.010 F.A.C  CANNOT be taken: – Any ‘listed’ species – Black bear – White-tailed deer – Bats* – Bobcat* – Any bird protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Burrowing owl photo curtsey of Ron Bielefeld; bobcat photo curtesy of Laura Bender; pine snake, deer, bear and bonneted bat FWC photos

Types of traps  Live/Cage Trap – Any box style trap where the animal is completely contained within the trap  Snare – A trapping device consisting of a noose designed to capture wildlife.  Steel trap – Any mechanical device* designed and used to capture wildlife by seizing and holding a part of the body.

Captured wildlife  Due to relocation laws, most wildlife are euthanized once captured  State law require humane euthanasia  Some species (hogs, alligators) are harvested  Important to note that relocated wildlife often does not survive – Stress of capture & transport – Introduction into new environment – Member of own species likely already established – Most wildlife have established territories and will leave new area – Relocation facilitates the transfer of disease

Nuisance wildlife rule: 68A-9.010Relocation 1. The animal is a native species and 2. The property where the nuisance animal is to be released is located within the county of capture and is a minimum of 40 contiguous acres; and 3. The person releasing the nuisance wildlife is in possession, at time of release, of written permission from the property owner.

Argentine black & white tegu, FWC Photo

Feeding Rule- Coyote, Fox, Raccoon 68A-1.004 General Prohibitions. (3) Intentionally placing food or garbage, allowing the placement of food or garbage, or offering food or garbage in such a manner that it attracts coyotes, foxes, or raccoons and in a manner that is likely to create or creates a public nuisance is prohibited.

Quick Rite LLC

Alaska-in-pictures.com

Boomsbeat.com

Feeding rule- bears (4)(a) Intentionally feeding bears is prohibited.  (b) Placing food or garbage, allowing the placement of food or garbage, or offering food or garbage that attracts bears and is likely to create or creates a nuisance is prohibited. No person shall be assessed a penalty pursuant to this paragraph unless the person has first been issued a prior written warning for a violation of this paragraph.

North American Bear Center

Feeding rules (cont.) •68A-4.001 (4) “The intentional feeding or placement of food that attracts pelicans…is prohibited.” •68A-4.001 (5) “The intentional feeding of sandhill cranes is prohibited.”

Feeding rules (cont). •68A-25.001 “No person shall intentionally feed, or entice with feed, any crocodilian…”

•68A-16.002 “No person shall take, feed, disturb, possess, sell purchase or barter, or attempt to engage in any such conduct, any bald eagle or parts thereof, or their nests or eggs…”

Special programs

Python Patrol Program  Identify, report and capture pythons  Mostly offered in south Florida to natural resources workers  Over 1,000 people trained since 2013  MyFWC.com/Python

Pet Amnesty Program  More than 1,400 nonnative pets surrendered since 2006  Mission: to prevent and reduce unlawful releases of nonnative pets  Foster responsible per ownership through outreach, education and amnesty events  No questions; can surrender any nonnative animal  Surrendered animals adopted by prequalified adopters  One day events throughout the state, or year-round adoptions through 1-888Ive-Got1

Contact information  Reports of violations can be submitted to the Wildlife Alert Hotline 24/7: 1-888-404-3922  General regulations questions: – Captive wildlife: 850-488-6253 – FWC SW Regional Office- 863-648-3200 – Nonnative sighting or Pet Amnesty1-888-Ive-Got1

 Biology questions or identification help: – Angeline [email protected] – Sean Greene- [email protected]

Questions?

Photo courtesy of Reinier Munguia