https://www.swamp-post.com/articles-1 daily 0.75 2026-06-13 https://www.swamp-post.com/articles-1/the-dawn-of-apex-florida monthly 0.5 2026-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a1a0394cc5ddd13583defbb/d25b6059-9e81-4c36-903d-e7c96db55162/Image+13.jpeg ARTICLES - The Rise of Reptiles - The Burmese Python The invasive Burmese python has successfully colonized parts of South Florida. Introduced through the exotic pet trade during the 1970s and 1980s, this apex predator now faces nearly no natural predators within the Everglades ecosystem. Research has linked python expansion to major declines in native mammal populations throughout parts of the Greater Everglades. These snakes are highly adaptable predators capable of feeding on birds, deer, alligators, rabbits, raccoons, and even other snakes. Burmese pythons can also survive for months without eating. Like other snakes, the Burmese python has learned to shelter inside underground burrows during winter cold fronts, like those created by the Gopher Tortoise and Nine-banded Armadillo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a1a0394cc5ddd13583defbb/cc199b27-eac0-4c41-83d1-189ff0780bbe/Image+15.jpeg ARTICLES - The Rise of Reptiles - The Nile Monitor Lizard Nile monitor lizards have also established invasive populations across parts of Florida. Cape Coral has become one of their strongest footholds, where canals, retention ponds, and suburban waterways provide ideal habitat. According to EDDMapS data, Lee County leads the state in reported sightings, while populations have also been documented in Palm Beach County, Miami-Dade, and Broward County. Nile monitors are highly adaptable reptiles with traits that make them effective predators and survivors. They possess strong swimming abilities, high-set nostrils that function almost like snorkels, continuously replacing teeth, powerful tails used for defense and movement, and unusually advanced problem-solving behavior for reptiles. They can sprint up to 28 miles per hour while also climbing and swimming efficiently. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a1a0394cc5ddd13583defbb/59a218d7-e761-4821-992c-1f7d79e085b3/Image+10.jpeg ARTICLES - The Rise of Reptiles - The American Crocodile Unlike pythons and monitors, the American crocodile is native to Florida. Once heavily threatened by habitat loss and hunting, the species has made a significant recovery in recent decades. Today, biologists estimate that roughly 2,000 to 3,000 crocodiles inhabit South Florida. Several unusual factors contributed to the species’ recovery. Protected status, wetland restoration efforts, and even industrial sites like the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant near Miami unintentionally created stable nesting habitat and warm-water refuge areas. As South Florida’s climate continues warming, crocodiles are gradually expanding farther north along the coasts. Rising sea levels may also push nesting activity toward higher and drier ground, which could mean expanding into northern Florida territory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a1a0394cc5ddd13583defbb/5352f2d6-0c02-4db5-8360-a009a3957229/Image+14.jpeg ARTICLES - The Rise of Reptiles - The American Alligator The American alligator remains one of Florida’s most important reptiles and one of the state’s greatest conservation success stories. After being pushed near extinction by overhunting during the mid-20th century, legal protections helped the species rebound across the Southeast. Today, the total U.S. alligator population exceeds five million animals, with roughly 1.3 million inhabiting Florida alone. Alligators are considered keystone species because entire wetland ecosystems depend on them. 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