HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - University of Florida researchers are using AI technology to trap an invasive reptile species to protect native wildlife .

The backstory:

There are more than 60 invasive reptile species in Florida, including the Argentine Black and White Tegu. This large lizard, native to South America, can grow up to five feet long.

There's a wild population of them in Hillsborough County .

"They can outcompete and eat our native species," said Melissa Miller, a wildlife biologist with the University of Florida Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. "We're finding out more recently that they can carry parasites and pathogens that can spread to our native wildlife."

What we know:

Miller is using AI smart traps to capture the lizards, so she can study them.

See Full Page