Invasive Exotics

One downside to Southwest Florida’s sub-tropical climate is that a vast array of non-native species from Brazilian Pepper to Burmese pythons make themselves right at home here. They don’t just survive; they thrive. And in doing so, disrupt the ecological balance as they outcompete or prey on our native flora and fauna. Like most of us, News-Press story-teller Amy Bennett Williams carries a deep disdain for these harmful exotics, but that contempt isn’t all encompassing. She holds a soft spot for at least one non-native critter as she tells us in this week’s essay.