University of Florida researchers are seeking help from residents in South Florida to combat the spread of Asian swamp eels. Frank Mazzotti, a professor of wildlife ecology with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences in Fort Lauderdale, said, “These fish are difficult to find, and that’s exactly why we need the public’s help.” The eels, native to East and Southeast Asia, were first observed in the Florida Everglades in 2007.
The Institute states the eels adapt well to South Florida’s environment: they can breathe air, survive in low-oxygen conditions, and persist through wet and dry seasons by burrowing into mud. Mazzotti noted evidence suggests the eels are responsible for some declines in crayfish and amphibians. People who spot an “eel-like fish” in canals, wetlands or marshy areas are encouraged to snap a photo and report the sighting to 1-888-IVEGOT1 (483-4681), visit www.IVEGOT1.org, or use the IVEGOT1 mobile app.
Originally reported by Hernando Sun
Sources: Hernando Sun
