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Since 2003, when city employees started a trapping program, they have set countless traps - they have 15 to 17 traps set on any given day - and caught 293 of the non-native lizards that prey on other animals, including the city's protected population of burrowing owls.
The reptiles, which can grow as long as 7 feet, including a long tail that accounts for half of their
Cape Coral residents have caught a tegu, a spiny desert lizard and blue-tongued skink, boa constrictor and python.
Alligators are here, too.
"They damage pool screens, trying to get to food on the lanai."
Other city wildlife that some residents might consider pests, but that are allowed to roam free include bats, raccoons, skunks, oppossums, garden variety snakes, rats, owls and woodpeckers.
“The invasion of Nile Monitor Lizards and they seem to be winning the invasion. With 400 miles of man made canals, there are over 1,000 or more Lizards roaming, nesting in the area.”
“The population of Cape Coral, according to the city, peaked a year and a half ago at more than 177,691. In 2009 almost 10,000 less. The people here say the dip feels steeper than that.”
"In this economy," Phillips said, "there isn't going to be a widespread trapping effort right now."
The property value the property appraiser is using is at least 1 year old. the new statistics for Cape Coral (Association of Realtors) states that the medien price in Cape coral has gone up from 75,000 last year to 85,000 this year. Our market is very fast and some buyers even have to offer over asking price to just get the property. And yes, I agree, Cape Coral is growing and recovering very nicely
A close family friend is a realtor of 20+ years here in the Cape. He and his office are selling homes hand over fist in the lower price range 100-120k. He says most of his buyers are from out of state looking to retire or Canadians also looking to relocate. I believe we have a long way to go but the recovery has started. He gets multiple offers on good homes in that price range and sells close to all at asking price.
The City of Cape Coral government will tighten its belt and get through this OK as well. Like many cities in this country (AZ, CA) financially we took a beating but this is still a great city to live in and will continue to be. It will always be an attraction due to proximity to the water, beaches, and the weather. With the return of the housing market area jobs will return as well, and vice versa. People who really look hard for a job, get the education to make themselves marketable to employers, and live with in there means will do very well here.
Since 2003, when city employees started a trapping program, they have set countless traps - they have 15 to 17 traps set on any given day - and caught 293 of the non-native lizards that prey on other animals, including the city's protected population of burrowing owls.
The reptiles, which can grow as long as 7 feet, including a long tail that accounts for half of their
Cape Coral residents have caught a tegu, a spiny desert lizard and blue-tongued skink, boa constrictor and python.
Alligators are here, too.
"They damage pool screens, trying to get to food on the lanai."
Other city wildlife that some residents might consider pests, but that are allowed to roam free include bats, raccoons, skunks, oppossums, garden variety snakes, rats, owls and woodpeckers.
“The invasion of Nile Monitor Lizards and they seem to be winning the invasion. With 400 miles of man made canals, there are over 1,000 or more Lizards roaming, nesting in the area.”
“The population of Cape Coral, according to the city, peaked a year and a half ago at more than 177,691. In 2009 almost 10,000 less. The people here say the dip feels steeper than that.”
"In this economy," Phillips said, "there isn't going to be a widespread trapping effort right now."
By 2010, Cape Coral population has fallen to 160000, with 24% unemployment.
I have no idea where you get your unemployment numbers from. According to the United States Dept of Labor, the unemployment rate in Cape Coral April 2010 is 12.7%. Down from 14.2% in January, 14% in Feb, and 13.5 % in March, not seasonally adjusted.
Also, I have lived in Cape Coral for 33 years. I have never once seen a tegu, a spiny desert lizard , blue-tongued skink, boa constrictor , pythons, nile lizard, snow leopards, Bigfoot, or the wicked one eyed canal monster.
As for raccoons, opossums, bats, garden snakes, owls, and woodpeckers, um, ya we have them. Why would anyone advocate eliminating the wildlife found with in the the city limits? Why would we not let the wildlife "roam free", hence the term wildlife?????? I am all for pest control but owls? The burrowing owl is a protected species and very unique to this city. Woodpeckers?? When was the last time you heard of anyone being mauled by a raccoon or opossum? To imply it is a problem to let our wildlife "roam free" well honestly, I don even know what to say.
Yup, Warmth lures out monitor lizards
Since 2003, when city employees started a trapping program, they have set countless traps - they have 15 to 17 traps set on any given day - and caught 293 of the non-native lizards that prey on other animals, including the city's protected population of burrowing owls.
The reptiles, which can grow as long as 7 feet, including a long tail that accounts for half of their
Cape Coral residents have caught a tegu, a spiny desert lizard and blue-tongued skink, boa constrictor and python.
Alligators are here, too.
"They damage pool screens, trying to get to food on the lanai."
Other city wildlife that some residents might consider pests, but that are allowed to roam free include bats, raccoons, skunks, oppossums, garden variety snakes, rats, owls and woodpeckers.
“The invasion of Nile Monitor Lizards and they seem to be winning the invasion. With 400 miles of man made canals, there are over 1,000 or more Lizards roaming, nesting in the area.”
“The population of Cape Coral, according to the city, peaked a year and a half ago at more than 177,691. In 2009 almost 10,000 less. The people here say the dip feels steeper than that.”
"In this economy," Phillips said, "there isn't going to be a widespread trapping effort right now."
By 2010, Cape Coral population has fallen to 160000, with 24% unemployment.
" This much is certain: All the canals weren't good just for luring buyers of homes. They also created a Nile monitor paradise.
Over these past couple of lean years, the city has had one man in the environmental resources division who devotes approximately 30 hours a week to trying to trap monitors, and two more who help when they can.
But the program relies on calls from citizens - in a city that's shrinking.
We're in the worst recession since the Great Depression. Florida is worse off than most of the rest of the country. Cape Coral is worse off than most of the rest of Florida. "
Again, living here for 33+ years, I have never seen a monitor nile lizard. I have lived in two houses on canals and bass fish the north cape / rural freshwater canals all year long.
I have seen large (4ft+) lizards on Boca Grande Island however. Alot of them. They have had a population of lizards/iguanas for years and years. Boca Grande also is wall to wall million dollar homes. Celebrities and former presidents (The Bush family) own homes there.
Also, I have lived in Cape Coral for 33 years. I have never once seen a tegu, a spiny desert lizard , blue-tongued skink, boa constrictor , pythons, nile lizard, snow leopards, Bigfoot, or the wicked one eyed canal monster.
I keep one of those as a pet, and he has been mauled by some of the local ferral cats on occasion........but that's a different story.
I have seen Iguanas in some areas you wouldnt think one would, like the middle of the SE area off Del Prado, but they're typically in or near one of those overly landscaped, or unkempt yards you run across from time to time. Have seen them in the yacht club area as well.
There's about 10 acres of vacant ground behind my shop, so rats and mice are a constant concern, but common sense measures keep them outside where the owls can have at 'em. No matter where you live, some wild critters are gonna cause you a little headache from time to time. I've never found Cape Coral to be overly problematic in that sense.
" Cape residents already contending with nuisance iguanas and monitor lizards may soon spy a n exotic reptile of another sort.
As many as 140,000 Burmese pythons have wrapped their coils around south Florida, according to a recent report from the Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Regardless of their numbers, the python invasion is a growing problem in South Florida, she said.
"We see them as a significant ecological problem," Friar said.
Burmese pythons lay about 50 eggs in a clutch. Hatchling pythons are about 20 inches long making their survival rate much better than most indigenous species.
" The Corp of Engineers is trying to help define the growing python problem by using thermal imaging.
"Thermal images may be very successful at certain seasons and certain times of day for finding pythons," said Larry Wright of the Operations Division. "Further testing will be done over the next few months to refine the image gathering data. Before we can control the snakes, we must detect them."
Governmental agencies on hand included:
the U.S. Park Service,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
the U.S. Army's Aviation & Missile Research Center,
the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Python expert Mike Dorcas from Davidson College, also attended.
The University of Florida participated with three two-person teams with expertise in herpetology, thermal imagery and invasive species. "
" Cape residents already contending with nuisance iguanas and monitor lizards may soon spy a n exotic reptile of another sort.
As many as 140,000 Burmese pythons have wrapped their coils around south Florida, according to a recent report from the Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Regardless of their numbers, the python invasion is a growing problem in South Florida, she said.
"We see them as a significant ecological problem," Friar said.
Burmese pythons lay about 50 eggs in a clutch. Hatchling pythons are about 20 inches long making their survival rate much better than most indigenous species.
" The Corp of Engineers is trying to help define the growing python problem by using thermal imaging.
"Thermal images may be very successful at certain seasons and certain times of day for finding pythons," said Larry Wright of the Operations Division. "Further testing will be done over the next few months to refine the image gathering data. Before we can control the snakes, we must detect them."
Governmental agencies on hand included:
the U.S. Park Service,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
the U.S. Army's Aviation & Missile Research Center,
the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Python expert Mike Dorcas from Davidson College, also attended.
The University of Florida participated with three two-person teams with expertise in herpetology, thermal imagery and invasive species. "
Vicious reporters and scientists, right?
Thank you Google!
LOL, LOL
All of these articles are talking about the Everglades National park and other areas of South Florida. Once again you cited some reporters opinion that exotic pythons may move north to Cape Coral. We were talking about Cape Coral, remember.
I am not worried about snakes making it through the city of Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, San Carlos, then through south Ft Myers and invading the city of Cape Coral.
I hope the latest unemployment rates are accurate, but sometimes they drop because people stop collecting or less people qualify for benefits, etc. Also, many people who were self-employed or independent contractors aren't being counted. We need a few more months of data.
Regarding dangerous reptiles, although there are all sorts of creepy creatures in SWFL, most of the venomous ones have 2 legs.
I hope the latest unemployment rates are accurate, but sometimes they drop because people stop collecting or less people qualify for benefits, etc. Also, many people who were self-employed or independent contractors aren't being counted. We need a few more months of data.
Regarding dangerous reptiles, although there are all sorts of creepy creatures in SWFL, most of the venomous ones have 2 legs.
Good point about the unemployment rates. Though (and just making a guess) I would think many of the folks that have left Cape Coral were the self employed , contractors, and construction workers looking for greener pastures. I am not sure how much that would change the unemployment rate.
I do a fair amount of hunting each year in the Everglades. The only creatures I run into that make me think twice about being there are also the two legged kind. Fortunately, I have been able to survive all the pythons we have rampantly running wild.
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We were talking about Cape Coral, remember.
