Man-Eating Nile Crocodiles In Florida Might Populate Everglades: Warning

Three Nile crocodiles have been caught near Miami. Will there be more of the man-eating reptiles here? Scientists at the University of Florida are trying to figure out how these reptiles ended up in the state.

"They didn't swim from Africa," said Kenneth Krysko of the University of Florida and co-author of the paper. "But we really don't know how they got into the wild."

The species was confirmed through DNA testing when they were caught in 2009, 2011 and 2013. The males of this frightening species can grow to more than 16 feet and 1,600 pounds. They are said to have executed more than 200 deaths per year in sub-Saharan Africa---which makes the annual average of six shark attacks look rather "tame".

Although the captured crocodiles are genetically related, they do not match the Nile crocodiles at Disney's Animal Kingdom and other animal attractions in the state. Hence, they would have been brought into the state probably for the illegal pet trade.

"My hope as a biologist is that the introduction of Nile crocodiles in Florida opens everyone's eyes to the problem of invasive species that we have here in our state," Krysko said."Now here's another one, but this time, it isn't just a tiny house gecko from Africa."

If the man-eaters settle down in the Everglades, they would be an invasive threat to the ecosystem through crossbreeding. They would push out meeker American crocodiles. Moreover, hybrids would impact the genetic integrity of the American variety, which are under threat at present.

"I have two words: Burmese python," said Joe Wasilewski, an independent wildlife biologist, and co-author of the study. "If you would have told me 15 years ago we would have an established population in the Everglades, I wouldn't have believed you."

The findings were published April 30 in the journal Herpetological Conservation and Biology.