April 6, 2013 / Winter Haven, FL: A four-foot-long Argentine black and white tegu was spotted near a road just outside the city of Winter Haven. (Bay News 9)

March 30, 2013 / Land O'Lakes, FL: A Savannah, a cross between a serval (wild African cat) and a domestic cat, escaped from a home in a residential neighborhood. The cat was later recaptured. (Bay News 9)

January 21, 2013 / North Miami Beach, FL: A young girl was scratched in the face by one of two "pet" lemurs who had gotten out of their cage in the backyard of a home. (WTVJ Ch. 6)

January 6, 2013 / Oldsmar, FL: Seven Burmese pythons, seven monitor lizards, 100 bearded lizards and many other animals were removed from a home. The animals were being bred for sale, and were kept in deplorable conditions. (Tampa Bay Times)

December 30, 2012 / Southwest Ranches, FL: A Siberian lynx in poor health and housed in substandard conditions was seized by state wildlife officials from the home of a 15-year-old who lacked the required license to possess the animal. (Sun Sentinel)

December 2012 / Key Largo, FL: A fisherman killed a humpback grouper, a species native to the tropical Pacific Ocean. Experts believe the fish was a released "pet" who was dumped into the ocean after outgrowing an aquarium. (Miami Herald)

November 11, 2012 / Ocala, FL: A 7-foot boa constrictor was found in the Ocala National Forest; the snake is most likely a released pet. (Gainesville Sun)

October 4, 2012 / Key West, FL: A 10-foot boa constrictor was captured at the Key West International Airport; authorities believe the snake is most likely a released or escaped pet. (Key West Citizen)

October 3, 2012 / Cape Canaveral, FL: A 6-foot-tall emu kept as a pet jumped a fence at his owner's home and wandered between cars on A1A before being recaptured. (Florida Today)

September 30, 2012 / Merritt Island, FL: A man was bit by a pet capuchin monkey after he tried to pet the animal. The monkey will be quarantined for 30 days to be sure that he doesn't show any symptoms of rabies. (Florida Today)

September 18, 2012 / Palm Beach County, FL: An albino skunk purchased from a pet store slipped out of a harness and escaped. The animal has not been found. (FWC Weekly Reports)

August 15, 2012 / Martin County, FL: A man trying to recapture his escaped "pet" macaque monkey was bitten and seriously injured by the animal. Sadly, the monkey was shot and killed in order to stop the attack. (Palm Beach Post)

August 8, 2012 / Fort Lauderdale, FL: A paramedic responding to the scene of a motorcycle accident was bitten by a marmoset who was riding in the motorcyclist's travel bag. (FWC Weekly Reports)

August 3, 2012 / Miami-Dade County, FL: Two serval cats who escaped from a private facility were recaptured over a two-day period by state wildlife officers. (FWC Weekly Reports)

May 31, 2012 / Alachua County, FL: State wildlife officers helped an Alachua County Sheriff's Deputy capture a pet kinkajou who had escaped from a nearby home. (FWC Weekly Reports)

May 28, 2012 / Brooksville, FL: A cougar kept as a pet escaped from his cage and killed a neighbor's beagle who had wandered onto the property. (WTSP Ch. 10, Brooksville)

May 16, 2012 / Big Pine Key, FL: A six-foot boa constrictor, believed to be an escaped or released pet, was captured on the island. (Key West Citizen)

May 8, 2012 / St. Petersburg, FL: A ball python was captured on a street in downtown St. Petersburg. The snake is believed to be a former pet. (Tampa Bay Times)

April 17, 2012 / Gainesville, FL: A patas monkey, a species native to central Africa, was spotted in a residential neighborhood. (Gainesville Sun)

April 5, 2012 / Pasco County, FL: A man reported to police that one of his pet monkeys "slipped his leash" and ran into nearby woods. The monkey was recaptured the next day. (Tampa Bay Times)

March 19, 2012 / Bradenton, FL: A capuchin monkey was spotted on surveillance video rummaging for food in a dumpster at a business park. The animal is most likely an escaped pet. (Sarasota Herald-Tribune)

February 7, 2012 / Sanford, FL: A "pet" rhesus monkey who had escaped from a cage at a residential home was captured by police. The monkey may have been loose in the area for weeks. (WESH Ch. 2, Orlando Sentinel)

January 9, 2012 / Sharpes, FL: A woman working in her garden was startled by a six-foot-long boa constrictor. The snake, who was captured by police, had escaped from an aquarium at a neighbor's house. (WFTV Ch. 9, Orlando)

January 5, 2012 / Boca Raton, FL: State wildlife officers seized a rattlesnake, a puff adder, a Red spitting cobra and other reptiles from an apartment. The reptiles were being kept without a permit. (Sun Sentinel)

December 25, 2011 / Palmetto Bay, FL: A 13-foot Burmese python was captured in the swimming pool at a home in the Village of Palmetto Bay. (NBC Miami)

November 12, 2011 / Key Colony Beach, FL: Tourists discovered a 7-foot Burmese python outside their vacation rental; the snake was captured by police. (Florida Keys Keynoter)

October 22, 2011 / Thonotosassa, FL: An otter being kept as a pet got loose and bit a woman in a residential neighborhood. The woman was treated at a local hospital. (Central Florida News 13)

October 6, 2011 / Holly Hill, FL: A police officer was bitten while attempting to capture a "pet" tamarin monkey who had escaped from a residence and climbed a tree. (Daytona Beach News-Journal)

September 22, 2011 / Davie, FL: A large, Argentine black and white tegu was captured by police and state wildlife officers in the backyard of a home in a residential neighborhood. (FWC Weekly Reports)

September 15, 2011 / Tequesta, FL: An eight-foot-long boa constrictor escaped from a cage outside a home in a residential neighborhood. The snake was spotted and recaptured by police officers approx. 36 hours later. (Palm Beach Post)

September 8, 2011 / Palm Beach County, FL: State wildlife officers cited a man for possession of a 13-foot reticulated python, a ring-tailed lemur and a Kinkajou in his residence without the required captive wildlife permits. (FWC Weekly Reports)

August 4, 2011 / Margate, FL: An 8-foot albino Burmese python was captured by state wildlife officers. (FWC Weekly Reports)

July 29, 2011 / Miami-Dade County, FL: An 11-foot Burmese python was captured and removed from a farm in the Redlands area. (Miami Herald)

July 20, 2011 / Miami-Dade County, FL: A five-and-a-half-foot Dumeril's boa was captured in a residential neighborhood. Authorities are trying to find the owner of the snake. A member of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Venom Response Program told local media, "This is a an example of pets getting away from people or people releasing them into the wild. It's not fair to the pet and this animal could pose a threat to somebody." (NBC Miami)

June 28, 2011 / West Palm Beach, FL: Two monitor lizards were recently captured by state wildlife officers in West Palm Beach, including one 5-foot-long lizard who was removed from inside a screened patio at a home. (FWC News Release)

June 21, 2011 / Fort Myers, FL: A four-foot-long ball python was discovered in the backyard of a Fort Myers home. (WINK-TV, Fort Myers)

June 17, 2011 / West Palm Beach, FL: A seven-foot-long Burmese python who had escaped from a small aquarium inside a home was captured by police. The snake's owner was charged with illegal possession and improper caging. (Palm Beach Post)

May 20, 2011 / Key West, FL: A tourist reported being bit on the face by a lemur who a local resident had brought downtown. (Key West Citizen)

February 24, 2011 / Highlands County, FL: State wildlife officers responded to a complaint about a whitetail deer kept as a pet inside a trailer. The property owner was cited for possessing the animal without a permit. (FWC Weekly Reports)

January 27, 2011 / Tarpon Springs, FL: A man walking his dog came across a 14-foot, 150-pound African rock python sunning itself. The man called police who captured the snake. The owner of the snake, who was later identified by a microchip in the animal, reported that the snake had been missing since 2009. (St. Petersburg Times)

January 27, 2011 / Naples, FL: State wildlife officers captured a large Burmese python in Collier-Seminole State Park. (FWC Weekly Reports)

January 23, 2011 / Vero Beach, FL: An animal control officer captured a 7-foot-long boa constrictor in a residential neighborhood. The officer reported picking up five large non-native snakes in Indian River County in 2010. (Vero Beach Press-Journal)

January 13, 2011 / Williston, FL: State wildlife officials believe a Patas monkey who has been spotted in the area may be the same monkey who escaped from a home in Marion County during the summer of 2009. The monkey has evaded efforts to capture him. (Gainesville Sun)

December 21, 2010 / Kendall, FL: A capuchin monkey got loose from an enclosure at a home and bit a man at a neighboring house. After the attack, the monkey climbed up to the roof of the home. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded and captured the monkey. (WSVN Ch. 7, Miami)

December 13, 2010 / Melbourne, FL: A 13-foot Burmese python was discovered by workers constructing a fence in a residential neighborhood. (WESH Ch. 2, Orlando)

December 7, 2010 / Lakeland, FL: A "pet" muntjac escaped from a holiday display and ran loose before being recaptured by church personnel. (WTSP Ch. 10, St. Petersburg)

October 14, 2010 / Palm Bay, FL: Police responded to reports of a six-foot-long boa constrictor inside a trash can; the snake was retrieved by animal control. (Florida Today)

October 8, 2010 / Orlando, FL: An elderly couple cleaning out their garage were surprised to discover a Burmese python inside a box. The snake was taken to a wildlife sanctuary. (WESH Ch. 2, Orlando)

September 14, 2010 / Vero Beach, FL:An animal control officer captured a 3-foot-long Nile monitor in a city park; the officer said it was the third one that he has captured in the last 1 1/2 years. (Vero Beach Press Journal)

September 2, 2010 / North Lauderdale, FL: Sheriff's officers discovered a tarantula and Boa constrictor in an abandoned apartment. (FWC Weekly Reports)

August 26, 2010 / Sebastian, FL: A woman was taken to the hospital for treatment after being bit on the hand by her "pet" 12-foot-long Burmese python.(St. Lucie News Tribune)

August 24, 2010 / Tampa, FL: A man was treated at a local hospital after being bit by his "pet" Gaboon viper. The man is now facing several criminal charges, including illegal possession of a venomous reptile. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission news release)

August 19, 2010 / Charlotte County, FL: State wildlife officers discovered four deer being kept as pets in the backyard of a home in Charlotte County. The homeowner was charged with violating wildlife regulations. (FWC Weekly Reports)

August 2010 / Plant City, FL: A ball python was hit by a vehicle and killed on a city street. A local herpetologist said that he believes the snake was most likely a released pet. (Plant City Courier & Tribune)

July 26, 2010 / Seminole, FL: A "pet" muntjac, a small deer native to Southeast Asia, was captured after escaping from her enclosure and running loose for several days. (WTSP Ch. 10)

July 21, 2010 / West Palm Beach, FL: Police found an 8-foot python near a car dealership; the snake had been reported missing the previous day. (Palm Beach Post)

July 9, 2010 / Ormond Beach, FL: Police searching the home of a man suspected of growing marijuana found 26 snakes—including six pythons, one rattlesnake, one water moccasin and several other venomous snakes—and a monitor lizard. The man was cited for possession of the reptiles without a permit. (Daytona Beach News-Journal)

June 17, 2010 / Miami-Dade County, FL: State wildlife officers investigated the escape of a "pet" silver fox. The owner received a citation for failure to have the required permits to possess the animal. (FWC Weekly Reports)

June 4, 2010 / Cape Coral, FL: The City of Cape Coral's Environmental Resources Section reported to have captured 293 monitor lizards—strong reptiles that can grow as long as 7 feet—since a trapping program began in the city in 2003. (Fort Myers News-Press)

May 9, 2010 / Rockledge, FL: A Burmese python was discovered underneath a car in a parking lot. A wildlife officer was called to capture the snake. (WESH Ch. 2, Orlando)

May 4, 2010 / Ocala, FL: A 4-foot tegu, an omnivorous lizard native to South America, was spotted in the Ocala National Forest. The lizard was not captured. A professor at the University of Florida said the animal was likely dumped in the forest by an overwhelmed pet owner, "It's probably an animal that got too big, and somebody got tired of it, and they dumped it." (Orlando Sentinel)

April 30, 2010 / Miami, FL: A tegu was captured at the entrance to Everglades National Park. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists have caught 13 tegus in South Florida since last fall. The lizards are believed to be "pets" who escaped or were released into the wild. (WTVJ CH. 6, Miami)

April 25, 2010 / Clearwater, FL: Two lemurs were captured after being found walking in a residential neighborhood; authorities are looking for the animals owner. (WTVT Ch. 13, Tampa)

March 31, 2010 / Windermere, FL: A "pet" wallaby who escaped from her harness in early March remains on the loose in the Town of Windermere. (WKMG Ch. 6, Orlando)

March 25, 2010 / Collier County, FL: A man driving on U.S. 41 near Collier-Seminole State Park spotted and captured a nine-foot long Burmese python. (WBBH Ch. 2, Fort Myers)

March 23, 2010 / Palm Bay, FL: Dozens of pythons, boa constrictors and other snakes were found dead inside an abandoned home. Many of the dead snakes were found inside plastic containers in the home. The homeowner is facing numerous charges of animal cruelty. (Florida Today, WESH Ch. 2)

March 16, 2010 / Kissimmee, FL: A man went door-to-door warning his neighbors in an Osceola County neighborhood about his pet bobcat who had escaped after attacking him. (Central Florida News 13)

March 11, 2010 / Marco Island, FL: Landscapers working at a home in Marco Island discovered a 9-foot Burmese Python underneath a patio. (Marco Eagle)

March 4, 2010 / Collier County, FL: An 11-foot Burmese python was captured in the Rookery Bay Reserve; two smaller snakes were also spotted but escaped capture. (WZVN Ch. 7, Fort Myers)

February 25, 2010 / Pompano Beach, FL: State wildlife officers responded to a call about a Burmese python abandoned at a rental property. The officers collected the seven-foot long python. (FWC Weekly Reports)

February 19, 2010 / Wellington, FL: A visitor to a private, exotic cat "sanctuary" was bitten by a jaguar. The woman suffered serious injuries to her hand and was treated at a local hospital. (Palm Beach Post, Sun-Sentinel)

February 10, 2010 / Cocoa, FL: A family told a local TV station that they are afraid to use their backyard after discovering a 9-foot-long python, who recently gave birth, living underneath their home. (Central Florida News Ch. 13)

January 24, 2010 / Orlando, FL: The Orlando Fire Department responded to a call and removed a boa constrictor discovered coiled around a hot water heater inside an apartment in Orlando. (Orlando Sentinel)

January 16, 2010 / Port St. Lucie, FL: A pacu measuring 38 inches in length and weighing 52 pounds was found on the shore of the St. Lucie River. It is believed that the fish, native to South America’s Amazon River, was killed by the recent cold weather. (St. Lucie News Tribune)

January 13, 2010 / Osceola County, FL: A 12-foot green anaconda was captured by members of the Osceola County Sheriff's Office mounted patrol at a public park. The snake is the first of its kind to be caught in the wild in Florida. An officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told a local newspaper, "Someone purchased this at a time it was no bigger than a couple of fingers and when it got big, released it." (Orlando Sentinel)

January 13, 2010 / Miami-Dade County, FL: During a three-day, state-coordinated effort to capture exotic snakes in western Miami-Dade County, four African rock pythons (including two snakes that measured 14-feet long) were captured. Two others were spotted but escaped. 11 African rock pythons have been found in Florida, raising concerns that the snakes have established a breeding population. (Sun-Sentinel)

December 17, 2009 / Hollywood, FL: State wildlife officers responded to a call about a large snake in a neighborhood. A nine-foot-long Burmese python was captured. The snake had escaped from a home. The owner was cited for failure to have the required permits to possess the animal. (FWC Weekly Reports)

December 12, 2009 / Avon Park, FL: Highlands County Animal Control is looking for the owner of a 5-foot-long reticulated python, described as "tame," who was caught in a residential area. The director of animal control said the snake was the fifth that the department has caught in the last three years. (Highlands Today)

December 12, 2009 / Vero Beach, FL: An 8 1/2-foot boa constrictor spotted crossing a road in a residential neighborhood was captured by residents and turned over to animal control. (Vero Beach Press Journal)

December 6, 2009 / Port Tampa, FL: Firefighters helped to capture a 12-foot-long Burmese python who was spotted on the lawn of a residential home. The demeanor of the snake and its condition indicated the snake is a pet that escaped or was released. (Tampa Tribune)

December 1, 2009 / Palmetto, FL: A woman came home to find an 8-foot-long python coiled underneath a tree in her back yard. A wildlife trapper was called to remove the snake. (WWSB Ch. 7, Sarasota)

November 25, 2009 / Hollywood, FL: A black-tufted marmoset escaped while his guardian was preparing to move to a new home. (The monkey was found two days later.) (Sun-Sentinel)

November 25, 2009 / Tampa Bay, FL: A macaque monkey continues to defy attempts to capture him in a residential neighborhoods in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. The monkey has been spotted in trees and on rooftops in several communities in the past two weeks. State wildlife officials have been in contact with permitted monkey owners in the area, but have not been able to determine where the monkey came from. (St. Petersburg Times, Tampa Tribune)

November 24, 2009 / Citrus Park, FL: A man was arrested on felony animal cruelty charges after Hillsborough County Animal Services investigators found dead and dying boa constrictors, lizards, tarantulas, rabbits and two emaciated wolf-dog hybrids inside a filthy apartment. (WFLA Ch. 8, Tampa; St. Petersburg Times)

November 19, 2009 / Cooper City, FL: State wildlife officers captured a seven-foot-long python in a resident’s backyard. (FWC Weekly Reports)

November 19, 2009 / Miami-Dade County, FL: Two exotic rattlesnakes were confiscated by state wildlife officers from an individual who lacked proper permits to possess the snakes. (FWC Weekly Reports)

November 17, 2009 / Palm Springs, FL: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has reported that, since October, two red-bellied piranhas have been caught in a retention pond. It is believed that the fish were dumped from an aquarium. Piranha are illegal to possess in Florida. (WPTV Ch. 5, West Palm Beach)

November 16, 2009 / Arredondo, FL: A growing number of feral pot-bellied pigs are causing concern for residents of a community outside Gainesville. It is believed that the pigs were once pets who were turned loose by their owners. (Gainesville Sun)

November 7, 2009 / Orlando, FL: It took more than two hours to remove a six-foot boa constrictor who was found coiled around the engine of a Nissan Maxima. (WFTV Ch. 9, Orlando)

November 5, 2009 / Naples, FL: A nine-foot boa constrictor who had likely been hit by a vehicle was found dead in a ditch. (FWC Weekly Reports)

October 27, 2009 / Pinecrest, FL: State wildlife officers responded to a call that three pet Capuchin monkeys had escaped from their enclosure. Two of the monkeys were recaptured. The owner was cited for maintaining captive wildlife in an unsafe manner. (FWC Weekly Reports)

October 27, 2009 / Vero Beach, FL: A 9-foot-long Burmese python was found slithering in a neighborhood; the snake was captured and brought to a local animal shelter. "It's not as common as in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County," said a spokesperson with the Vero Beach Police Department. "But in the last 15 to 20 years, I've gotten 25 to 30 big constrictors." (Vero Beach Press Journal, WPTV Ch. 5)

October 24, 2009 / Fort Pierce, FL: State wildlife officers removed a 6-foot-long boa constrictor from a tree at a golf course. (FWC Weekly Reports)

October 23, 2009 / Panama City, FL: A construction worker was bit by an albino Burmese python after he attempted to move the snake from a pile of dirt at a home under construction. Paramedics treated the man on the scene. (WJHG Ch. 7, Panama City Beach)

October 22, 2009 / Monroe County, FL: An 8-foot-long Burmese python was captured in the back yard of residential home. (FWC Weekly Reports)

October 21, 2009 / Crestview, FL: State wildlife officers, responding to a complaint about a "large snake" that had previously escaped from a home, found an uncaged, 11-foot-long, albino Burmese python inside a home. The homeowner was charged with failure to have the required state permit to possess the snake, and for housing the snake in an unsafe manner. (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission news release)

October 19, 2009 / Brooksville, FL: A man painting a fence was knocked down and bitten by a ZeDonk (zebra-donkey hybrid) at Boyett's Grove, a citrus grove/roadside zoo. The man was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for a number of bites on his legs. (Hernando Today)

October 14, 2009 / Casselberry, FL: City workers discovered an 8-foot long boa constrictor outside a home. (WFTV Ch. 9, Orlando)

October 12, 2009 / Riviera Beach, FL: Police department volunteers went door to door warning residents to watch out for pythons after a resident reported a 3- to 5-foot long snake on his front porch. (WPBF Ch. 25, Palm Beach Gardens)

October 9, 2009 / Wewahitchka, FL: An 11-foot-long Burmese python escaped from an apartment and was killed in a neighbor's chicken coop. The snake's owner was charged with violating captive wildlife regulations. (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission news release)

October 3, 2009 / Miami, FL: Workers at a nursery stumbled across a 13-foot Burmese python while spraying for weeds; firefighters were called in to capture the snake. (WFOR Ch. 4, Miami)

October 1, 2009: Palm Beach County, FL: State wildlife officers seized a serval cat from an individual who did not have the required permits to possess the animal. (FWC Weekly Reports)

September 24, 2009 / Boca Raton, FL: State wildlife officers seized a serval from a residential home. Neighbors had complained that the large, African cat had escaped from the home at least once in recent weeks. The homeowner did not have the required state permits to possess the animal. (Palm Beach Post)

September 22, 2009 / Largo, FL: A man walking in a city nature preserve found a dead 10-foot reticulated python floating in a pond. (St. Petersburg Times)

September 15, 2009 / Longwood, FL: Seminole County Animal Control responded to a call about a man who moved out of a rental property but left behind a 5-foot-long ball python. (WESH Ch. 2, Orlando)

September 12, 2009 / Hollywood, FL: State wildlife officers responded to a call from a homeowner who saw a large snake in his driveway; after a search the snake, a 5-foot-long ball python, was discovered curled up on the engine of the man's car. (FWC Weekly Reports)

September 12, 2009 / St. Petersburg, FL: After at least two months on the loose, an 11-foot-long red-tailed boa constrictor was spotted and pulled from bushes near a condominium. The snake was first reported to law enforcement in July, but it is unknown how long the snake was on the loose before that. (St. Petersburg Times)

September 11, 2009 / Apopka, FL: State wildlife officers removed an 18-foot-long, 400-pound Burmese python from a home due to concerns about whether the chain-link cage she was in was secure enough to contain her. The homeowner acknowledged that the snake had escaped her enclosure in the past. (Orlando Sentinel)

September 11, 2009 / Cape Coral, FL: A three-foot python was discovered in a bathroom sink. The homeowner suspects the snake is an escapee from a neighbor who bred snakes before being foreclosed on. (WZVN Ch. 7, Fort Myers)

September 10, 2009 / Lakeland, FL: State wildlife officers seized two Burmese pythons—a 17-foot-long, 150-pound female python and an 11-foot male. The snake's owner was cited for failure to have the required state permits to possess the animals. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission news release)

September 6, 2009 / Myakka, FL: A 7-foot reticulated python was captured near Myakka State Park. (Sarasota Herald Tribune)

September 3, 2009 / Weston, FL: State wildlife officers spent several days searching for a python who was spotted in a residental neighborhood, but were unable to find the snake. (Sun-Sentinel)

September 3, 2009 / Pahokee, FL: State wildlife officers responded to the escape of a nine-foot albino Burmese python. The snake was recaptured and the owner was cited for inadequate caging and for not having the required permits. (FWC Weekly Reports)

September 2, 2009 / Micanopy, FL: The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced that a Patas monkey kept as a pet escaped from a home two months ago and is believed to be living in a heavily wooded area of Marion County. (Gainesville Sun)

September 1, 2009 / Homestead, FL: Scientists reported that since last summer, 13 Nile monitor lizards and one Colombian tegu, both large reptiles sold as pets, have been caught in and around Homestead Air Reserve Base. (Broward-Palm Beach New Times)

August 25, 2009 / Melbourne, FL: An off-duty firefighter captured a four-foot long monitor lizard near a busy Melbourne intersection. (Florida Today)

August 20, 2009 / Hollywood, FL: A cable worker was bit by a venomous snake outside an apartment building. The snake is believed to be a green mamba, a snake native to Africa and known for its deadly venom. The snake has not been found. (Sun-Sentinel)

August 20, 2009 / Broward County, FL: A state wildlife officer responded to a complaint regarding a large snake in a residential neighborhood. The officer captured an eight-foot Colombian red tail boa constrictor. (FWC Weekly Reports)

August 16, 2009 / Seminole County, FL: A homeowner was surprised to discover a 7-foot-long albino Burmese python outside his home. (Orlando Sentinel)

August 11, 2009 / Key West, FL: A lionfish was captured in the water of Key West, the 10th lionfish caught in the Florida Keys. Lionfish are venomous fish native to the Pacific Ocean but also popular aquarium pets. (Key West Citizen)

August 6, 2009 / Intercession City, FL: State wildlife officers cited a man who was keeping a small alligator in a cage at his home, and for possession of a python without a permit. (FWC Weekly Reports)

August 5, 2009 / Bradenton, FL: Shortly after talking with friends about the rash of loose pythons in Florida, a woman spotted a small ball python in her yard. She called 911 and a local wildlife rehabilitator captured the snake. (Bradenton Herald)

August 4, 2009 / Port Salerno, FL: Deputies removed a 5-foot boa constrictor from the garage of a Port Salerno home. (The Stuart News)

August 1, 2009 / New Port Richey, FL: A couple cleaning a home that had been foreclosed on discovered an 8-foot-long red-tailed boa constrictor who had apparently been abandoned by the previous owner of the home. (St. Petersburg Times)

August 1, 2009 / Daytona Beach, FL: Police responded to 911 calls from concerned residents and captured a boa constrictor spotted crossing a street. The snake, who had been hit by a vehicle, died soon after being captured. (Daytona Beach News-Journal)

July 30, 2009 / Okeechobee County, FL: A Burmese python was caught on the property of a veterinary hospital. The snake measured 17-feet-2-inches in length, 26 inches in diameter and weighed 207 pounds. (Fort Myers News-Press)

July 29, 2009 / Lakeland, FL: Two Burmese pythons escaped from their enclosures at an East Lakeland home. State wildlife officers went door to door warning area residents; the snakes were recaptured approx. 14 hours after their escape. (Lakeland Ledger)

July 24, 2009 / Tallahassee, FL: State wildlife officers retrieved two American alligators kept inside an apartment. The tenants were charged with illegal possession of the alligators; the alligators were returned to a local lake. (Tallahassee Democrat)

July 21, 2009 / West Palm Beach, FL: A Burmese python was spotted coiled in the middle of a residential street near downtown. The snake had disappeared by the time a state wildlife officer arrived. (Palm Beach Post)

July 15, 2009 / West Palm Beach, FL: Two pythons were abandoned on the doorstep of a pet store overnight. (WPTV Ch. 5, West Palm Beach)

June 14, 2009 / Cape Coral, FL: Police responding to a domestic violence complaint discovered five live alligators, six pythons and an Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake within a home. A father and son were later charged with 37 misdemeanor charges relating to unlawful possession of the animals. (FWC Weekly Reports)

July 14, 2009 / Orange County, FL: A 12-foot-long Burmese python was found slithering through a residential neighborhood. (Orlando Sentinel)

July 11, 2009 / St. Petersburg, FL: A man arriving at his home in a residential neighborhood discovered a 10-foot-long boa constrictor blocking his driveway. (St. Petersburg Times)

July 10, 2009 / Highlands County, FL: "We pick up a lot of snakes," Highlands County Animal Control Director Darryl Scott told a local newspaper. Since January 2008, the department has handled over 100 snake calls, including a python who got loose while his owner was visiting the area, and a boa constrictor found abandoned in a vacant house. (Highlands Today)

July 5, 2009 / Key Largo, FL: A 9-inch-long lionfish was netted off Key Largo, the eighth—and the largest—lionfish captured in Keys waters since the beginning of the year. (Florida Keys Keynoter)

July 2, 2009 / Hobe Sound, FL: A man discovered a ball python on the running board of his SUV. The snake was taken to a local wildlife rehabilitation center, where staff said the snake probably had not been loose for very long, and likely escaped or was released. (WPTV Ch. 5, West Palm Beach)

July 1, 2009 / Oxford, FL: An 8-foot-long Burmese python kept inside a home as a pet escaped from a glass aquarium and strangled a 2-year-old girl while she slept. The snake's owner did not have the required state permit. (Orlando Sentinel, Gainesville Sun)

June 30, 2009 / Fort Pierce, FL: A wolf was among many malnourished and dead animals found at a woman's home; she was charged with numerous counts of animal cruelty as well as possession of wildlife without a permit. (WPEC Ch. 12 West Palm Beach)

June 25, 2009 / Duval, Charlotte, Miami-Dade County: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Division of Law Enforcement reported several incidents involving exotic "pets" during the previous week. A wildlife officer in Duval County cited a man who was keeping an alligator in a wooden pen in his backyard (the alligator was released back into the wild); an individual in Charlotte County was cited for possession of a gopher tortoise whose shell had been painted; and in Miami-Dade County, a wholesale fish dealer was cited for unlawful possession of a prohibited species after selling a Trahira to a local pet store. Trahira are large, predatory fish, sometimes called "wolf fish," native to South America. Fifteen of the illegal fish were seized at the dealer's warehouse. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

June 3, 2009 / Dunnellon, FL: A "pet" wolf was reported stolen from an unlocked pen at a home. (Ocala Star-Banner)

May 28, 2009 / Jacksonville, FL: Barking dogs alerted a resident to a 12-foot python in her front yard. The snake was captured and state wildlife officers are investigating. (First Coast News)

May 17, 2009 / Punta Gorda, FL: A police officer found an injured python on US-41; the snake died a short time later at a wildlife rehabilitation center. (WBBH Ch. 2, Fort Myers)

May 15, 2009 / Homestead, FL: About a dozen Nile monitor lizards have been trapped near the Homestead Air Reserve Base; the large reptiles are believed to be descendants of pets who were released or escaped into the wild. (WPLG Ch. 10, Pembroke Park)

May 14, 2009 / Pinellas Park, FL: State wildlife officers investigating the discovery of a ten-foot Burmese python learned that the snake had escaped from a home two months earlier. The owner of the snake was charged with violating numerous captive wildlife regulations. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

May 7, 2009 / Estero, FL: State wildlife officers cited a man who offered for sale on Craig's List a Burmese python without the required licenses or PIT tag. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

April 9, 2009 / Big Pine Key, FL: An emu was rescued from a canal. The bird, believed to be an escaped or released pet, is recovering at a local wildlife rescue center. (Florida Keys Keynoter)

April 2, 2009 / Hialeah, FL: An owner of a pet store was cited by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission for selling six lemur monkeys to an individual who did not have the proper permits. The Miami resident who purchased the monkeys was also cited for possession of captive wildlife without a permit. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

March 29, 2009 / New Port Richey, FL: Pasco County Sheriff's deputies who responded to a disturbance at a home found a year-old alligator in a fish tank. A man at the home was arrested for unlawful possession of an alligator, and domestic battery. The alligator was released into a nearby lake. (WFTS Ch. 28, Tampa)

March 12, 2009 / Lehigh Acres, FL: State wildlife officials removed two mountain lions being kept as pets from a home. The animals were kept in a backyard cage that was too small, and one was malnourished due to parasites. A veterinarian who treated the animals told the Naples News, “It’s a shame that those animals end up in people’s back yards. It’s unnatural for the animals to be kept in that type of environment. It’s like putting that kind of animal in solitary confinement.” (Naples News)

March 4, 2009 / Wimauma, FL: Employees at a plumbing business captured an African Nile Monitor. (WTVT Ch. 13, Tampa)

February 1, 2009 / Orlando, FL: State wildlife officers served a search warrant during a Super Bowl party and seized 10 piranhas. The owner was later arrested. It is against the law to sell or possess piranha in Florida. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

January 27, 2009 / Bradenton, FL: A bicyclist riding along the Palma Sola Causeway came upon a green iguana sitting alongside the road. A representative from a local wildlife rescue group who was called to the scene said the iguana had likely been kept as a pet because his claws had been trimmed. (Bradenton Herald)

January 25, 2009 / Buckingham, FL: A farmer claimed to have killed a wolf-dog hybrid that attacked several of his sheep. (WINK-TV, Fort Myers)

January 13, 2009 / Clearwater, FL: State trappers were unsuccessful in trying to capture a rhesus macaque monkey on the loose in a residential area. State wildlife officials said that nobody in the area is licensed to possess a rhesus macaque, so the monkey may have been kept illegally. (Tampa Tribune)

January 6, 2009 / Ocoee, FL: A five-foot long boa constrictor was captured near Ocoee High School. (WFTV Ch. 9, Orlando)

January 6, 2009 / Key Largo, FL: A diver spotted a lionfish in the waters off Key Largo. Lionfish are venomous fish native to the Pacific Ocean but also popular aquarium pets. It is believed that lionfish dumped by aquarium owners may now be reproducing locally. (Key West Citizen)

December 18, 2008 / Venice, FL: State wildlife officers cited a homeowner for possessing seven venomous snakes without the proper licenses, and for keeping numerous non-venomous snakes in unsafe/unsanitary conditions. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

December 1, 2008 / Destin, FL: Employees used a garbage can to capture a 4-foot-long boa constrictor discovered at a car dealership. (Northwest Florida Daily News)

November 12, 2008 / Lehigh Acres, FL: A wolf-dog (wolf/German Shepherd hybrid), who was being kept as a pet, was picked-up by Lee County Animal Services after multiple attacks on cows in the area, but escaped from a cage in the Animal Services van and disappeared. Sadly, after a week on the loose, the animal was spotted and killed by police. (WBBH Ch. 2, Fort Myers)

November 11, 2008 / Miami-Dade County, FL: State wildlife agents caught three Burmese pythons within 50 yards of each other in southern Miami-Dade County. The snakes were between nine feet and eleven feet in length. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

November 3, 2008 / Punta Gorda, FL: A 10-foot-long boa constrictor was found wrapped around the engine of a vehicle; it took animal control officers 45 minutes to remove the snake. (WBBH Ch. 2, Fort Myers)

October 22, 2008 / Stuart, FL: A 6-foot-long, Colombian Red-Tail Boa Constrictor was hit by a car as he or she tried to cross a road. The injured snake was taken to a local wildlife rehabilitation center. (WPTV Ch. 5, West Palm Beach)

October 11, 2008 / Stuart, FL: A Blue Mountain rainbow lorikeet, a bird native to Australia, escaped from a home while his cage was being cleaned. (Stuart News)

October 6, 2008 / Jupiter, FL: State wildlife officers captured a 12-foot, 100-pound Burmese python slithering across a road near a shopping center. Officers believe the snake is a released pet. The snake was taken to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary; in the last week, the sanctuary has also recovered a ball python, carpet python and a boa constrictor. (Palm Beach Post)

October 6, 2008 / Palm Bay, FL: A woman called police for help in removing an eight-foot-long python who was blocking the doorway to her home. (WFTV Ch. 9, Orlando)

October 4, 2008 / Palm City, FL: A fifty-pound Siberian Lynx escaped from a screened-in porch at a home in a residential neighborhood. Although the lynx has had her claws removed, the owner told local media, "She's a wild cat at heart," and "I don't know what she's capable of or could do out of fear. I would be careful." (Palm Beach Post, WPTV Ch. 5)

October 3, 2008 / Jacksonville, FL: Two men are facing criminal charges after state wildlife officers found four alligators and a crocodile in a concrete fish pond behind their home. Officers believe the crocodile was stolen from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm; the four alligators were likely taken from the wild. (St. Augustine Record)

September 22, 2008 / Lake Worth Inlet, FL: Divers swimming off the South Lake Worth Inlet spotted a Lionfish, a dangerous fish native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans but also popular as pets. Scientists have reported increasing numbers of Lionfish in Florida waters. It is believed that they stem from former aquarium pets intentionally released into the ocean. (WPEC Ch. 12, West Palm Beach)

September 18, 2008 / Vero Beach, FL: A 10-foot-long boa constrictor spotted traveling down Old Dixie Highway was captured by an animal control officer. "There is a real problem here with having them as pets," the officer said. (Vero Beach Press-Journal)

September 18, 2008 / Washington County, FL: A Ball Python was impounded by animal control officers; the owner of the snake could not be located. (Foster Folly News)

September 5, 2008 / Myakka City, FL: A 10-foot Burmese python was spotted slithering across the driveway of a Myakka City home. The trapper called to catch the snake said it was the third snake he had picked up this year. Earlier in the week he retrieved a 3-foot Tegu Lizard. (WWSB Ch. 7, Sarasota)

August 24, 2008 / Everglades National Park, FL: Wildlife scientists report that 418 Burmese pythons were captured and removed from Everglades National Park in 2006 and 2007. Over 100,000 pythons have been imported into the United States for the pet trade since 1990. (St. Petersburg Times)

August 24, 2008 / Northwest Florida: State wildlife authorities report that in the past year there have been five instances in which deer, illegally captured from the wild and kept as pets, have either escaped or been abandoned and turned up in neighborhoods and parks. (Florida Today)

August 20, 2008 / Loxahatchee, FL: During severe weather, a lion and a Bengal tiger escaped from a cage at a sanctuary in western Palm Beach County. Both animals were located a few hours later, shot with tranquilizing darts and returned to the cage. During the search, three schools in the area were on lockdown. (Palm Beach Post, Sun-Sentinel)

August 19, 2008 / Dade City, FL: A woman spotted two monkeys in her backyard. It is suspected that the monkeys may be from a group of Patas monkeys who escaped from an exotic animal park north of Lakeland in April. (Lakeland Ledger)

August 18, 2008 / Fountain, FL: Bay County Sheriff's Deputies used a Taser to subdue a pet emu who had escaped from her enclosure after strong winds knocked down a fence. (Panama City News Herald)

August 7, 2008 / Sebastian, FL: A rhea (a large bird related to the ostrich) was spotted eating plants in a ditch in front of a gas station. The bird, who was kept as a pet, disappeared two weeks ago from a home a few miles away. The bird has not been captured. (WPTV Ch. 5, West Palm Beach)

July 16, 2008 / Boynton Beach, FL: A black-colored fox wearing a harness was captured in a residential neighborhood. The fox, who police believe was being kept as someone's pet, was brought to a wildlife sanctuary. (WPTV Ch. 5, West Palm Beach)

July 3, 2008 / Orange Park, FL: Traps have been set for a monkey who was spotted in a Clay County subdivision. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigators believe the monkey is a Japanese or snow macaque. Officials don't know where the animal came from; no one in the neighborhood has a permit to possess a captive macaque. (The Times-Union)

June 26, 2008 / Orlando, FL: A woman found a 9-and-half-foot long boa constrictor in her back yard. She believes the snake ate her cat. A local trapper called to capture the snake said this was the sixth snake he had captured in the past few months. (WFTV Ch. 9, Orlando)

June 14, 2008 / Sanibel, FL: Police responding to a call of a dead alligator floating in a lake instead found a six foot, 40 pound Nile Monitor lizard. (Island Reporter)

June 12, 2008 / Leon County, FL: An emu was spotted walking down the side of County Road 12; the bird had disappeared into nearby woods by the time representatives from a local wildlife rescue organization arrived. (Tallahassee Democrat)

June 8, 2008 / Port Charlotte, FL: A Serval cat was tranquilized and captured by state wildlife officers after escaping from a private home ten days earlier. Charges are pending against the owner. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

May 25, 2008 / Pinellas County, FL: A pacu, a fish native to the waters of the Amazon but also popular in the aquarium trade, was caught by a fisherman on Lake Tarpon. The fish, who was three-feet-long and estimated to weigh 40 pounds, is believed to have been released into the lake after outgrowing an aquarium. (St. Petersburg Times)

May 17, 2008 / St. Augustine, FL: A reticulated python, approx. 10 feet long, was spotted in the middle of a residential road and captured. (St. Augustine Record)

May 16, 2008 / Orlando, FL: A man was removed from a flight at the Orlando International Airport after fellow passengers noticed that the man had brought onboard a small monkey. (WFTV Ch. 9, Orlando)

May 12, 2008 / Miami, FL: A wildlife trainer was bit on the leg by a tiger during filming of a music video. Reportedly, the tiger panicked when she got tangled in her chain and started to choke. (Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post)

May 11, 2008 / Columbia County, FL: During a storm a tree branch fell onto a cage housing five monkeys. Two of the monkeys escaped; one was quickly recaptured, the other was captured two days later. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

May 11, 2008 / Panama City, FL: Police officers, responding to a complaint about a man dragging a raccoon by a leash down a city street, arrested a man and charged him with animal cruelty. The man admitted he had trapped the raccoon and was trying to make it his "pet." The raccoon was released back into the wild. (Panama City News-Herald)

May 8, 2008 / Santa Rosa County, FL: A deer wearing a dog collar attacked a 4-year-old girl and her mother who had attempted to pet the animal; state wildlife officers discovered the deer had escaped from a cage at a nearby residence. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

May 5, 2008 / Citrus County, FL: State wildlife officers arrested a man for illegal sale of exotic birds, and for maintaining birds in unsanitary conditions, after an investigation following a complaint about the purchase of sick birds from a website. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

May 3, 2008 / Merritt Island, FL: A captive raccoon escaped from an enclosure and bit his or her "owner." The raccoon was seized by local animal control. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

May 1, 2008 / Bushnell, FL: Jack Hildreth, a collector of exotic snakes, was bit by an Indian cobra at his home in Bushnell. Hildreth was able to dial 911 before losing consciousness; he was flown by medical helicopter to a nearby hospital. In June 2007, a man stole five snakes from Hildreth's backyard "serpentarium." The thief was quickly arrested at a nearby Wal-Mart after he was found bleeding from a snakebite. (Orlando Sentinel)

May 1, 2008 / Monroe County, FL: An eastern diamondback rattlesnake was discovered in a home after the residents had been evicted; the snake's owner was located and cited for failing to possess a venomous reptile permit. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

April 19, 2008 / Lakeland, FL: 15 patas monkeys swam across a small moat, climbed over a fence and escaped from the property of an exotic animal collector in rural Polk County. One week later, the animals had not been recaptured. (Tampa Tribune)

April 17, 2008 / Baker County, FL: Responding to a complaint, state wildlife officers found a bobcat in a cage at a residence. The homeowner was cited for failing to possess a captive wildlife permit and for improper caging. The bobcat was released back into the wild. (FWC Field Operations Weekly Reports)

April 8, 2008 / Marathon, FL: A resident reported spotting a 12-foot python near his home. (Keynoter)

April 5, 2008 / Tampa, FL: A resident called police after confronting a three-foot iguana who tried to get inside her home. (WTVT Ch. 13, Tampa)