An Exotic Dilemma

Learn how exotic pets are turning up in unexpected places in Florida.

1 Would you know what to do if you saw a python slithering across your backyard? What about an anteater looking for dinner in your bushes or a seven-foot-long African monitor lizard running across your patio? People who live in most areas of the United States do not have encounters like these. But if you happen to live in southern Florida, there is a chance that you could run into a number of nonnative species that have settled in your hometown.

2 Exotic pets have become more and more popular in recent years. People often purchase an animal as a baby without realizing how difficult it may be to care for that animal when it is fully-grown.

3 For example, Burmese pythons are easy to buy at exotic pet stores or online. When the snake is young, it does not require much more work than any other pet reptile. But Burmese pythons can grow to be more than 20 feet long and can weigh about 250 pounds. There is not much space in the average American home or yard to care for such a creature! When the snake outgrows its cage and its owner tires of caring for and feeding such a large animal, the snake may be abandoned in a wild area.

4 In other parts of the country, it is likely that many of these exotic creatures would not be able to survive long in the wild. But the climate in southern Florida is wet and warm—not unlike the tropical areas where many of the animals are naturally found. Not only can many exotic pets adjust to living in Florida’s natural areas, but if enough of them are released, they can start breeding.

5 The problem with invasive species is that scientists don’t always know in advance which ones will alter the environment or harm native populations. In the last few years, people visiting Florida’s Everglades National Park have watched fights between alligators and pythons.

6 It is not hard to imagine the impact of aggressive creatures. But even animals like vervet monkeys or Cuban tree frogs, which seem harmless, can change the delicate balance of the environment. They may compete with other animals that eat the same plants or insects. If their presence or behavior causes a change in the habits of other animals, the overall changes could be far-reaching.

7 Think about dominos lined up next to one another. None of them may be touching, but as soon as you tip one over, the whole row will tumble. This is not unlike the way plants and animals in the environment react to one another. One small change can set off a whole series of changes that not even scientists can predict.

Spectrum Reading Grade 6

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1. Check the phrase that best describes the author’s purpose.

to entertain to instruct

to inform

2. An analogy is a comparison between two things that may seem to be unalike but that have at least one similarity. An analogy is used to compare two things in paragraph 7. What are they?

3. Name two animals that are nonnative species in southern Florida.

4. Why is it hard to care for a full-grown Burmese python?

5. Why are exotic pets more likely to survive in the wild in a state like Florida than they are in a state like Ohio or Montana?

6. Do you think that abandoned exotic animals will continue to be a problem in Florida? Explain your answer.

7. How would you define the term invasive species?

8. In paragraph 2, exotic means

9. Would you ever purchase an exotic pet? Why or why not?

Spectrum Reading Grade 6

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