Photo by Lisa McBride, U..S Geological Survey
(L-R) Interns Genesis Aponte Santiago (intern), Adam Nawrocki, Gabriela Logo (Romagosa’s WEC graduate student class of 25), interns Carter Haley, Conor Joye, Grant McCargar, Diana Rodas, Eleanor Lane, Gabriela Silva, Christina Romagosa.
From tracking pythons in Big Cypress National Preserve to trapping invasive tegus in South Florida, University of Florida students are stepping out of the classroom to gain hands-on experience in some of the state’s most vulnerable ecosystems as they help combat the growing threat of invasive species.
Ahead of National Wildlife Day on Sept. 4, UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is highlighting the work of students participating in two experiential learning programs led and supported by the UF/IFAS Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (WEC).
Everglades Biocorps Internship Program and the Invasive Reptile Research Internship Program, a partnership between UF/IFAS, National Park Service, and U.S. Geological Survey provide students and recent graduates with hands-on training in invasive species management while helping support efforts to conserve Florida’s natural resources.
“These internships give students the opportunity to apply scientific knowledge in real-world settings while contributing to meaningful conservation work,” said Christina Romagosa, associate professor WEC. “Our interns are gaining professional experience while helping address some of Florida’s most pressing environmental challenges.”
Florida is home to a wide range of invasive wildlife species that are disrupting ecosystems, competing with native species and altering habitats. Through these internship programs, students and UF graduates work alongside scientists and land managers conducting field research, monitoring wildlife populations and supporting invasive species control efforts.
The internship programs reflect UF/IFAS’ commitment to preparing the next generation of environmental professionals through hands-on learning experiences that address real-world challenges.
• Photo by Mark Parry, National Park Service
For Grace Schuppie, the experience has been valuable enough that she came back for a second internship.
Schuppie first worked as a BioCorps flex intern in the summer of 2024 while she was a student at UF. She returned in March as a BioCorps tegu intern, where she helps manage invasive Argentine black and white tegu populations in and around Everglades National Park through live trapping.
The large lizards can threaten native wildlife and ecosystems, making their removal an important part of invasive species management in South Florida. Schuppie also continues to join park biologists on other projects when opportunities arise, building experience in a range of wildlife conservation techniques.
“I love working and living in the Everglades and I care deeply about this ecosystem’s importance,” said Schuppie. “It is amazing to wake up every day inside Everglades National Park surrounded by so much biodiversity, and to know I get to play a small part in protecting invaluable natural resources.”
Her time in the field has included experiences ranging from surveying American alligator nests to catching a 10-foot Burmese python. But some of her most important lessons have come from talking with members of the public about invasive species.
Schuppie said she has learned that conversations about invasive wildlife are often more complicated than they appear. While Burmese pythons receive much of the public attention, other invasive species can also pose significant threats to the Everglades.
She said her experience as a BioCorps intern has helped her develop the communication skills needed to explain those challenges and encourage a more informed understanding of invasive species.
“Many people are uninformed and lack accurate knowledge of the invasive species present in South Florida,” she said. “I’m thankful to have learned effective communication skills regarding invasive species during my time as a BioCorps intern.”
Photo by Grace de Vries, Everglades BioCorps Internship Program
Another BioCorps flex intern, Grace de Vries, started in June and will complete her internship in December. She works across multiple projects in and around Everglades National Park, allowing her to develop a wide range of wildlife conservation skills.
Much of her time is focused on removing Argentine black and white tegus, but her work has also taken her into other areas of wildlife research and management.
“I’ve gotten to do way cooler stuff than I first expected,” de Vries said. “I never imagined that those different projects would include taking a helicopter to do alligator nest surveys or an airboat doing python radiotelemetry.”
One field experience helped de Vries better understand the challenges researchers face when trying to manage invasive Burmese pythons.
During a python tracking project, de Vries and researchers from the UF/IFAS Croc Docs team spent hours trying to determine the location of one snake, even though it was equipped with a tracking device. The snake had positioned itself in an inaccessible part of a slough, making it difficult for researchers to pinpoint its location.
Another python they tracked that day was about 15 feet long. Even after researchers knew exactly where it was, it took roughly 20 minutes of digging through thick vegetation before they could capture a small glimpse of the snake.
The experience showed de Vries just how difficult invasive pythons can be to find, even when researchers know they are nearby and despite their large size.
“It really put into perspective how incredibly difficult it is to find these snakes even when you know where they are, let alone when you don’t,” she said.
For de Vries, the internship has also provided a broader look at how invasive species are managed, including how federal agencies and universities work together to address conservation challenges.
“I’ve also learned a lot about federal positions, how they differ from academic wildlife biology, and how easily and successfully collaboration between the two actually works out,” she said.
Photo by Dorian Miranda, UF/IFAS-USGS Invasive Reptile Research Internship Program
John Boyle, a UF graduate with a passion for reptiles and amphibians, is taking part in a one-year invasive reptile internship that began in May 2026. As a python telemetry field research intern at Big Cypress National Preserve, Boyle uses radio telemetry to track adult and juvenile Burmese pythons and collect information about their movements and behavior.
For Boyle, the internship is a chance to put skills he developed as a UF student into practice. As an undergraduate, he learned radio telemetry techniques from UF courses and now uses those skills in the field to track the large snakes across the vast landscape of Big Cypress.
The work has also given him a firsthand look at just how difficult invasive species can be to manage.
During one recent tracking effort, Boyle and his team were monitoring a female python they believed was preparing to lay eggs. The snake suddenly disappeared from the area where researchers expected to find her. After ground searches failed to locate her, a radio-telemetry airplane was sent out to search the larger area.
The flight revealed that the snake had traveled about seven kilometers in a short period of time. Boyle and his team then returned to the field, traveling by utility vehicle into a remote area of Big Cypress to locate and capture the snake.
The experience showed Boyle that even closely monitored invasive animals can be unpredictable and highly mobile.
“It was a big moment where I was like, ‘Wow, these snakes are not to be underestimated,’” Boyle said. “They can move multiple kilometers relatively quickly, even when we have trackers in them.”
Boyle said the internship is also helping him build professional connections with scientists and natural resource professionals working across Florida and beyond.
“One of the biggest benefits of this position is the ability to network and being put in communication with people of interest, especially for my future career,” he said.
For all three interns, the experience provides more than field hours. They are learning how invasive species are monitored and managed, how scientists and agencies work together, and how to communicate the challenges of protecting Florida’s natural resources.
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By Lourdes Mederos, rodriguezl@ufl.edu
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
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