The top three most popular pets in America are freshwater fish, cats, and dogs. But many people are fascinated by exotic pets like iguanas, snakes, and monkeys. I believe that some of these exotic pet owners don’t have the resources to care for the animals after they have purchased them. Those pets get released into backyards, nearby parks, or forests. If these wild pets find a mate somewhere, another generation of destruction will be produced. For Florida, these invasive animals have been a problem for decades, and now Florida’s people, wildlife, and economy are suffering more than ever.

How much money would getting rid of the animals truly cost the U.S.? According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “The United States will pay billions of dollars in damages and containment this year from invasive species.” I agree with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because in 2018 the United States spent over $120 billion trying to stop the invasive species populations. The costs are mostly for traps, weapons, and “clean up” that researchers need to control all of the different species that Florida and the United States has to deal with. During the process though, native wildlife and people are being harmed, too.

In addition to harming the economy, invasive species are approaching humans more often. Sarah Gibbens at National Geographic states, “Florida residents have been sharing pictures of green iguanas belly up in backyards and on the sides of roads. Not all of these reptiles are lying dead. Many, in fact, are frozen in limbo, and some have been snapping back to life once their bodies warm.” If somebody who was unprepared approached one of these green iguanas then they could potentially get badly injured, possibly even hospitalised. The iguanas may seem somewhat harmless but you should think otherwise. They have rows of sharp teeth and a swing from their strong tails is like the swing of a baseball bat.

Of course, there are more than just iguanas causing trouble. According to Doreen Christensen, “There has long been a colony of vervent monkeys living near the Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood International Airport in Dania Beach, Florida. These wild primates carry diseases, including herpes B.” It’s clear that humans are at risk in this situation. These vervent monkeys are native to East Africa and they should not be in Southern Florida.

Meanwhile, CBS news states, “An invasive species in the Florida Everglades is threatening the area’s ecosystem. Burmese pythons are apex predators, at the top of the food chain. To these muscular eating machines, the Everglades are a buffet that never closes. They devour birds and mammals and disrupt food sources for the native panthers, alligators, and many other creatures.” Invasive species like the Burmese pythons have been causing Florida problems since the 1960’s. At this point, you might think that a suitable solution would have been made and that this problem would be in the past, but no, our invasive species problems are still here, and if we don’t do more about it, then I think the worst is still to come.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service states, “More than 400 of the over 1,300 species currently protected by the Endangered Species Act are considered to be at risk, at least partly due to invasive species.” In other words, almost one-third of the species on the endangered list are assumed to have been harmed by the wide varieties of invasive species. I think that we have let this number rise too far, and that we need to find a plausible solution to help the long list of species that are being affected.

On the other hand, these species do have their own populations to worry about, but how would you feel if Florida didn’t have their native mangroves or stealthy panthers? The next generation may only be able to see pictures and videos of these beautiful native species.

So, we can believe that if the invasive species in Florida and across the United States are left uncontrolled, then we will have more at risk. If we let this continue, new diseases will be discovered and more people and animals will have their lives endangered.