Florida's Next Invasive Species: Nile Monitor.

when it gets cold, they freeze and are paralyzed and will fall out of the tree. still alive, just immobilized.

 

Sugar loaf in Maryland, which is about 15 miles from me, has been one of the central places in trying to bring chestnuts back. I saw a grove of Chinese/American chestnut hybrids out there a few years ago. In the 60’s I think, they tried irradiating a bunch of nuts and planting them to see if they could get a mutation that worked, filled two whole fields but they mostly died. They’ve tried taking the mist resistant branches and using those for grafts for new trees. Would be an amazing win if they ever brought them back.

 

they love the canals, great swimmers, like to dig burrows behind the seawalls. very destructive for seawalls

 

Nile monitors are nasty critters. I would not approach one.

 

agreed, but if you do and can't just shoot it, use a long sturdy pole, sharp knife or sharpened screwdriver attached to the end. same way to handle a big rattlesnake in close quarters where you cant shoot. multiple holes, don't matter where, just more...can dispatch big iguanas in their burrows like that too. they like to burrow in behind seawalls

 

I went back and found a photo of that field in Maryland with the chestnuts. Other than the sign and the fencing, you would never know anything important was happening there.