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Invasive and nonnative animals in Florida

Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.

On this page
  1. Species Not Native to Florida
  2. USGS established records
  3. How to report
  4. Sources

45 nonnative animals are named on an official list for Florida: “Species Not Native to Florida” (FWC).

The USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database records an established population in Florida for 14 nonnative animals in the groups this guide covers.

To report a sighting, see how to report.

Being on a list of nonnative species does not always mean an animal is harmful or established: each list below is described in its source's terms. A sighting of a listed animal is still worth reporting to the agency.

Species Not Native to Florida

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), archived copy, captured September 9, 2025. 45 animals.

  • Arapaima Arapaima gigas

  • Argentine Black and White Tegu
    Photo: Andrew Durso · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    Argentine Black and White Tegu Salvator merianae

  • Asian Swamp Eel Monopterus albus

  • Asian Tiger Shrimp (Prawn) Penaeus monodon

  • Black Acara Cichlasoma bimaculatum

  • Black-hooded Parakeet
    Photo: Adam J. Searcy · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    Black-hooded Parakeet Nandayus nenday

  • Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus

  • Blue Tilapia Oreochromis aureus

  • Burmese Python
    Photo: Praveenp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

    Burmese Python Python molurus

    However, they are currently known to be established only in the southern Florida peninsula from Lake Okeechobee south to Key Largo and Florida Bay. Florida Museum of Natural History

  • Butterfly Peacock Cichla ocellaris

  • Cane Toad
    Photo: Maximilian Paradiz from Amsterdam, Netherlands · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Cane Toad Rhinella marina

    Cane toads are currently found in central and south Florida, generally south of the I-4 corridor. FWC

  • Clown Knifefish Chitala ornata

  • Common Carp Cyprinus carpio

  • Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris

  • Gambian Pouched Rat Cricetomys gambianus

  • Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella

  • Green Anaconda
    Photo: MauMirror · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

    Green Anaconda Eunectes murinus

  • Green Iguana
    Photo: Aatu Dorochenko · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

    Green Iguana Iguana iguana

  • Grey-headed Swamphen
    Photo: Eridan Xharahi · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    Grey-headed Swamphen Porphyrio poliocephalus

  • House Mouse
    Photo: Emily Langdon-Lassagne · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist

    House Mouse Mus musculus

  • Invasive soft corals / Pulse corals

  • Island Apple Snail Pomacea maculata

  • Jaguar Guapote Cichlasoma managuense

  • Lionfish
    Photo: Kristof Zyskowski · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    Lionfish Pterois volitans

    Lionfish can be found year-round in Florida waters FWC

  • Mayan Cichlid Cichlasoma urophthalmus

  • Midas Cichlid Cichlasoma citrinellum

  • Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus

  • Muscovy Ducks Cairina moschata

  • New Guinea Flatworm
    Photo: Sandra H Statner · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    New Guinea Flatworm Platydemus manokwari

  • Northern African Python Python sebae

    However, they are currently known to be established only in a small localized area on the southeastern side of US 41 (Tamiami Trail) and SR 997 (Krome Avenue) in Miami, Miami-Dade County. Florida Museum of Natural History

  • Nutria
    Photo: Sam Kieschnick · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    Nutria Myocastor coypus

  • Orinoco Sailfin Catfish Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus

  • Oscar
    Photo: botanygirl · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    Oscar Astronotus ocellatus

  • Peter's Rock Agama
    Photo: gpete · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Peter's Rock Agama Agama picticauda

  • Piranha Serrasalmindae

  • Red-Eared Slider
    Photo: ncb1221 · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    Red-Eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans

  • Red-whiskered Bulbul
    Photo: Dan Killam · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus

  • Reticulated Python
    Photo: Rushen · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

    Reticulated Python Python reticulatus

  • Snakehead Channa sp.

  • Spotted Tilapia Tilapia mariae

  • Suckermouth Catfish Hypostomus sp.

  • Walking Catfish Clarias batrachus

  • Wild Hog
    Photo: Cullen Hanks · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

    Wild Hog Sus scrofa

  • Yellow Anaconda Eunectes notaeus

  • Zebra Mussel
    Photo: Harukano · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist

    Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha

Established in Florida, per USGS records

The U.S. Geological Survey's Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database tracks nonnative aquatic animals. These have at least one record with the status "established" in Florida, which USGS defines as a population showing evidence of reproduction and overwinter survival.

AnimalGroupFirst recordLatest recordCounties
African Clawed Frog Xenopus laevisFrogs and Toads196420163
Australian spotted jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctataSharks and Marine Life200120263
Burmese Python Python bivittatusSnakes1979202636
Cane Toad Rhinella marinaFrogs and Toads1936202535
Capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaerisMammals1990202421
Common Caiman Caiman crocodilusReptiles-Crocodilians195920246
Coqui Eleutherodactylus coquiFrogs and Toads197320121
Cuban Treefrog Osteopilus septentrionalisFrogs and Toads1931202662
Greenhouse Frog Eleutherodactylus planirostrisFrogs and Toads1863202662
Lionfish Pterois volitans/milesSharks and Marine Life1985202630
Nile Monitor Varanus niloticusLizards1981202528
Nutria Myocastor coypusMammals1956202426
Spot-legged Turtle Rhinoclemmys punctulariaTurtles199620081
Western clawed frog Xenopus tropicalisFrogs and Toads201620211

Source: U.S. Geological Survey. [2026]. Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Gainesville, Florida. Accessed [11/3/2026]. "Native Transplant" animals are native elsewhere in the US but not in Florida.

How to report a sighting in Florida

Report nonnative animals to the FWC Invasive Species Hotline 888-Ive-Got1 (888-483-4681); FWC asks the public to call the Hotline for high-priority species: all nonnative snakes, monitor lizards and tegus. Other nonnative species can be reported via the IveGot1 app or IveGot1.org. Alligator or crocodile concerns: 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). FWC

Do not try to catch or handle the animal. A photo taken from a safe distance, the place and the date help the agency.

Sources

  1. Florida Snake ID Guide species account: Burmese Python. Florida Museum of Natural History (University of Florida). updated September 23, 2022; checked November 3, 2026.
  2. Florida Snake ID Guide species account: African Rock Python. Florida Museum of Natural History (University of Florida). updated September 8, 2021; checked November 3, 2026.
  3. Cane Toad (species profile). Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). archived copy, captured October 13, 2026; checked November 3, 2026. Archived copy.
  4. Lionfish (saltwater recreational regulations). Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). archived copy, captured October 19, 2026; checked November 3, 2026. Archived copy.
  5. Species Not Native to Florida. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). archived copy, captured September 9, 2025; checked November 3, 2026. Archived copy.
    Quoted passages (40)
    “Arapaima Arapaima gigas”
    “Argentine Black and White Tegu Salvator merianae”
    “Asian Swamp Eel Monopterus albus”
    “Asian Tiger Shrimp (Prawn) Penaeus monodon”
    “Black Acara Cichlasoma bimaculatum”
    “Black-hooded Parakeet Nandayus nenday”
    “Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus”
    “Blue Tilapia Oreochromis aureus”
    “Burmese Python Python molurus”
    “Butterfly Peacock Cichla ocellaris”
    “Cane Toad Rhinella marina”
    “Clown Knifefish Chitala ornata”
    “Common Carp Cyprinus carpio”
    “Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris”
    “Gambian Pouched Rat Cricetomys gambianus”
    “Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella”
    “Green Anaconda Eunectes murinus”
    “Green Iguana Iguana iguana”
    “Grey-headed Swamphen Porphyrio poliocephalus”
    “House Mouse Mus musculus”
    “Invasive soft corals Pulse corals”
    “Island Apple Snail Pomacea maculata”
    “Jaguar Guapote Cichlasoma managuense”
    “Lionfish Pterois volitans”
    “Mayan Cichlid Cichlasoma urophthalmus”
    “Midas Cichlid Cichlasoma citrinellum”
    “Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus”
    “Muscovy Ducks Cairina moschata”
    “New Guinea Flatworm Platydemus manokwari”
    “Northern African Python Python sebae”
    “Nutria Myocastor coypus”
    “Orinoco Sailfin Catfish Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus”
    “Oscar Astronotus ocellatus”
    “Peter's Rock Agama Agama picticauda”
    “Red-Eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans”
    “Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus”
    “Reticulated Python Python reticulatus”
    “Snakehead Channa sp.”
    “Spotted Tilapia Tilapia mariae”
    “Suckermouth Catfish Hypostomus sp.”
  6. Report Nonnative Species. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). archived copy, captured October 25, 2026; checked November 3, 2026. Archived copy.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “You can call the FWC’s Invasive Species Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1 (483-4681) to report nonnative animals. We ask the public to call the Hotline to report high priority species, which include all nonnative snakes, monitor lizards, and tegus.”
  7. U.S. Geological Survey. [2026]. Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Gainesville, Florida. Accessed [11/3/2026].