Snowbirds beware…Florida has been invaded by KILLER ALIENS! Premiering Sunday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT on Animal Planet, this compelling two-hour special examines how the Sunshine State is being overrun by non-native species such as pythons, feral hogs, lizards and even Gambian rats the size of cats. With no natural predators, the populations of these alien invaders continue to multiply, threatening local communities.
It’s a race against time to fight this ecosystem nightmare… as the front lines are expanding and no one knows where these creatures are headed next. In fact,
these non-native species have been imported by humans, most commonly as a direct result of peoples’ obsession with having exotic animals as pets.
When these beasts become too much to handle or when the novelty has worn out, they are irresponsibly disposed of into forests, swamps and even backyards, leading to long-lasting and often dangerous consequences. Hurricane Andrew helped shed light on the problem of invasive species when buildings destroyed by the storm enabled many creatures to escape from zoos and other places where they were confined.
As these unwanted critters have no natural predators in their “adopted” environments, their populations increase rapidly, spreading disease, destroying vegetation and crops, and preying on native species. In addition, these invasive creatures now compete with their native counterparts – including humans – for food and habitat.
