We’re putting a spotlight on success stories of St. Lucie County residents who have adopted various practices resulting in improved natural resource management. This blog features my interview with Florida Master Gardener volunteer Karen Cartmill and how she learned to use geomatics applications to report invasive and nonnative reptiles. You can reach me for additional information at ktgioeli@ufl.edu. Learn more, check out the program blogs HERE.

Ken: Hi Karen. We have known each other through UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County for quite some time. Can you tell readers about your involvement at Extension?

Karen: I’ve been involved at the Extension office as a Master Gardener Volunteer, past President of the Master Gardener Program Executive Board, a volunteer and presenter at various Master Gardener events, and Editor-in-Chief of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program newsletter, Lucie County Garden Thymes.

Ken: How many years have you been a Florida Master Gardener volunteer?

Karen: I’ve been a Master Gardener Volunteer for 7 years.

Ken: You invited me to present to your Garden Club on the topic of nonnative and invasive reptiles in St. Lucie County. What were the one or two big take-aways for you from this presentation?

Karen: The take-away for me, and others, was the impact that nonnative and invasive species such as Burmese Pythons, Green Iguanas, Black and White Argentinian Tegus, and Cuban Tree Frog populations, to name a few, have on the displacement and eradication of our native species here in Florida. Additionally, the impact can be far reaching, such as threatening human health due to the bacteria and parasites they can carry, the destruction to our agriculture and horticulture, hence our Florida’s economy, and the loss of our native wildlife, fish, reptilian, and plant species. This knowledge you shared, Ken, was not only an education of the impact on Florida’s native species, but the impact nonnative and invasive species have on ecological environments, no matter where one lives. Overall, you raised an awareness of what nonnatives are, and the impact in their respective environments, wherever nonnative, invasive, native, and human populations exist.

Ken: Were you aware of the problem with nonnative and invasive reptiles on the Treasure Coast prior to being trained by Extension?

Karen: I was not aware of the nonnative and invasive reptiles that are here on the Treasure Coast and the issues surrounding their impact prior to being trained by our Extension office.  The training provided a real eye-opening into the world on nonnatives.

Ken: Did you gain new insights into the nonnative and invasive reptile issue as a result of your Extension training?

Karen: Yes, I did. The training actually made me become aware of what nonnative and invasive species are, their destructive impacts on where we live, and why we need to prevent, monitor, and control these populations.

Ken: Why is management of nonnative and invasive reptiles important to you?

Karen: The management of nonnative and invasive populations are important because it’s not just the eradication of native species that is at stake, but also our agricultural and horticultural economy, and more importantly the impact on human health. Furthermore, these reptiles can spark curiosity in both adults and children.  This is also of concern to me because of what could happen to a child due to their natural inquisiveness, or for an adult should one try to chase or attempt to capture.

Ken: You recently saw an Argentinian black and white tegu in your backyard. Can you tell readers what you saw?

Karen: Actually, what my neighbor and I saw was very frightening.  The tegu was between both our yards, and it looked like a prehistoric reptile depicted in the film, Jurassic Park. The tegu was 4 foot in length, had a long tail, a jaw that puffed out, and it moved very quickly.  Through trapping efforts, that tegu was caught.  It weighed 7.5 lbs., and their cell structure and stomach contents are currently being analyzed for parasites, bacteria, and the prey it sought.

Ken: Using geomatic sciences applications such as the ivegot1 app which feeds data to Eddmaps is incredibly important for people to use when reporting sighting of nonnative and invasive reptiles. As a result of your Extension training, did you follow recommendations and report the tegu sighting using ivegot1?

Karen: Yes, I did report the tegu sighting. In fact, Ken, it was because of yours and the Extension’s training that I knew, based on appearances, that this was most likely a tegu.  I also knew immediately where to report it and who to contact for confirmation.  I did, in fact, contact you because I knew you would advise me on how to proceed.

Ken: What happened when you used ivegot1?

Karen: As soon as I reported the tegu, there were a number of responses and questions from Florida’s Fish and Wildlife, graduate students involved in the tegu monitoring and testing, and the University of Florida’s Croc Docs research team headed by Eric Suarez.

Ken: Was the ivegot1 app easy or difficult to use?

Karen: The app was extremely easy to use and it includes a GPS Locator, which is very helpful for the research team and Florida’s Fish and Wildlife personnel.

Ken: How quickly did someone respond when you reported this sighting?

Karen: The first response was immediate and it came from you, Ken. You reiterated where to report this in the ivegot1 app, which I did.  Furthermore, you also contacted the research team as well.  In fact, the response  from various agencies, Florida Fish and Wildlife, graduate students such as Jessica Wimmer, and researchers came quickly from all directions. The responses were very positive and specific with more information and education that came immediately as well.  In fact, a trapping system by Jessica, Eric, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and the Croc Docs team was in place within a very short time.  Jessica became my contact person initially and was on-site setting and monitoring the traps.

Ken: How essential was the education you received from Extension about reporting these nonnative and invasive reptiles?

Karen: The education from Extension and you was paramount. The knowledge that I gained lead me to immediately recognize this as a nonnative and invasive reptile.  From your presentations and the education that I received, I recognized and reported the tegu right away.  I knew what to do and who to call.  Without the training, I wouldn’t have known what to do, if anything. The tegu would most likely still be living in it’s environment and that tegu and potential extent of this nonnative and invasive population would have been left unchecked. I’d also like to mention that through the training that I received as a Master Gardener Volunteer, I can pass it on and help spread the education, not only about tegus, but nonnatives and invasive species as well.  Additionally, knowing what experts and who to contact further for more information can help educate others.  Through your presentations, Extension’s training, the University of Florida’s Croc Docs, and the UF/IFAS scientific, research based information, once trained, and Fish and Wildlife, I and other Master Gardener Volunteers, can help educate others.  I was also able to have yourself and Eric come to educate our community and Garden Club members more on nonnative and invasive populations, their destructive impact, the significance of reporting where to report, and what to report.

Ken: Is the Argentinian black and white tegu issue being addressed to your satisfaction after using ivegot1?

Karen: I’ve learned through you and the Extension’s training, Croc Docs, Florida’s Fish and Wildlife, graduate students and the University of Florida/IFAS and Master Gardener Volunteer Program’s training that education is the key and I’m grateful to the University of Florida for that knowledge.   I’ve learned that once a nonnative and invasive species is detected, getting on top and gaining control of the nonnative is important.  A small, localized population has a much better chance of eradication if reported.

Ken: Why was it important for you to have the Argentinian black and white tegu properly reported using geomatics applications?

Karen: To me, having a science-based reporting application where data can be collected and shared, and collaboration amongst various experts, agencies, and research teams can begin is essential to the start of a plan on nonnative and invasive species management. Reporting is key.  Education is key.  And, the Extension and its agents, such as yourself, and other agencies such as Croc Docs, Fish and Wildlife, graduate students, and Master Gardener Volunteers are key.  No one person can be everywhere, but the more residents of Florida are educated on what is a nonnative and invasive and what to do if you see one, the better chance we have on controlling these populations and in developing strategies to hopefully prevent future species from gaining a strong-hold in Florida and elsewhere.

Ken: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Karen: I’ve learned so much and it’s a credit to the Extension, Master Gardener Volunteer Program, the University of Florida/IFAS, the various agencies, and to you, Ken as well.  Without your initial presentation, not only to the garden club but to the Master Gardener Volunteer Program, the initial tegu would not have been reported.  The education led to the recognition of this tegu as a nonnative and invasive, which led to reporting, that started a chain of events and strategies to hopefully minimize this and other populations.  But, strategies such as prevention, early detection and rapid response, eradication, containment, resource protection, biological control, and other population control management programs would not be possible without the education.

Ken: Thank you so much Karen for taking time to learn about invasive reptiles and how to report them using IVEGOT1.

An Equal Opportunity Institution. UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Andra Johnson, Dean and Director. Single copies of UF/IFAS Extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publications) are available free to Florida residents from county UF/IFAS Extension offices.

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