Could climate change push more croc-like creatures Brevard's way?

Climate change has meant hard freezes are rapidly becoming a thing of the past in Central Florida. And that means the area now makes a good home for critters typically found in more tropical climates, such as the crocodiles spotted in Brevard County in recent years.

Scientist suspect that the crocodile's smaller cousin, the caiman, is also beginning to expand farther north. But they say early detection is key to stopping this invasive croc-like creature dead in its tracks.

As if there weren't enough gators and crocs in Florida, this toothy invader already has been spotted a few times in our midst, including once 45 years ago in Cape Canaveral.

It's uncertain to what extent the caiman is established in Florida. Like many invasive species (think lionfish), warmer times are nudging more typically tropical critters our way.

But a recent study by University of Florida shows promise that at least these red-in-tooth-and-claw caimans can be kept at bay.

“This study demonstrates the effects that the combination of early detection, rapid response, and persistent removal efforts can have on an invasive species,” said Sidney Godfrey, a wildlife biologist at the University of Florida and lead author of the study.

Why am I reading about caimans now?

Crocodilian fears reached fever pitch on the Space Coast in late July, when a crocodile killed a small pet dog in the unincorporated area near Satellite Beach. Crocs belong in Florida. But a recent University of Florida study of caimans (also crocodilians), in collaboration with state and federal wildlife agencies, shows how there may be more caimans out there than we thought, especially in South Florida.

"We may not have enough eyes out there that know what to look for," Godfrey said.

The silver lining of the study: A succession of strategies can take control of an invasive species before it gets too much of a foothold in Florida.

What did UF find?

The study, published in the journal Management of Biological Invasions, shows how control and removal of caimans in specific areas of the Everglades worked, the researchers say.

FLORIDA TODAY recently interviewed Godfrey, the lead UF researcher on the study. Here's what he and UF had to say about their findings:

Where have caimans been reported in Florida?

A University of Georgia program that tracks invasive species shows them reported in Miami Dade, Broward, St Lucie, and Seminole County. The U.S. Geological Survey shows them spotted at Cape Canaveral in 1978, with their status of unknown in Brevard. That sighting mentions that 20 eggs were removed from a female caiman by the then Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.

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Where are they from?

Caimans are native to Central and South America but have been established in Florida since the 1970s. But biologists report their introduction into Florida as early as the 1950s.

How can I tell them apart from crocodiles and alligators?

Spectacled caimans have a ridge of bone between their eyes that makes it look like spectacles. Their head is shorter and more V-shaped than a croc and a gator.

They're more brown or grayish, or a tannish yellow. Gators are darker colored.

How many are out there in Florida?

Unknown. "That is one of the things we want to work on moving forward," Godfrey said.

How did they get here?

The pet trade and crocodilian farming industries, escapes and deliberate releases made it possible for caimans to invade the Florida Everglades.

Godfrey said the caiman invasion happened in part as an unintended result of federal protections of alligators under the Endangered Species Act.

"People moved to other species to fill that demand for the pet trade, but for skins and meat as well," Godfrey said. "There's not much of a market in Florida anymore .. "The meat is pretty comparable (to alligator)," Godfrey added. "They are just more bony animals in general."

Are they as dangerous to us as gators and crocs?

No. "They are a pretty wary and shy species, compared to gators and crocs," Godfrey said. They are defensive of their nests, most so in mid to late spring, he added. "You're risk of getting attacked by any of these three species in Florida is really low."

Then why are they bad in Florida?

Caimans pose a threat to native wildlife because they use the same habitat as native alligators and crocodiles. They compete for food and habitat. They eat the same birds, small mammals, fish and other reptiles.

"They seem to really be showing up in these Everglades restoration areas," Godfrey said.

Do they do anything good?

Maybe. Biologists suspect they, like gators, may eat invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades. "They could be eating those," Godfrey said. "We found iguanas in some of the caimans."

How did UF do the study?

They compiled data from 2012 through 2021 of caiman removal efforts in the Everglades area. They also did targeted, on-foot surveys of habitats that where caimans might live that may have been overlooked in the past.

Scientists consider caiman removal efforts and the results of the study a significant milestone for invasive-species science, as its applications can be leveraged and expanded to other invasive species found statewide and globally.

And now they know when best to hunt caiman nests.

"We knew before that they were hatching in the fall but that can be a two-and-a-half-month period, if you're not exactly sure when in the fall," Godfrey said.

What happens next?

Scientists see promise in UF's results and continued use of their strategies to reduce caiman impacts on the restoration goals of the $24.5 billion Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

What do I do if I see a caiman?

Call Florida's Nuisance Alligator Hotline 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Caimans in Florida: UF offers tips for controlling invasive species