23: Jenna Cole

Jenna Cole is a Biologist working in Invasive Species Management in the Florida Everglades. There is a multitude of invasive reptile species in the Everglades and almost all can be attributed to the pet trade. Jenna discusses her research which focuses on the Argentine Black and White Tegu, an animal with a thriving invasive population in Florida.

Jenna tells us about her dietary research, as well as her work on the tegu trap line. She answers the tough questions about the fate of her captured specimens and also offers up some solutions for how we might regulate the pet trade to reduce the risk of introducing invasive species to local ecosystems.

Check out this video of Jenna and her fellow researcher walking the trap line and collection Tegu’s: https://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/mission-wild-ep-1-invasive-everglades