Florida wildlife officials have declared open season on Nile monitor lizards, allowing year-round hunting without permits. The invasive species, native to Africa, has established populations in South Florida, particularly around Cape Coral where environmental teams have captured nearly 800 lizards over 20 years.

Mike Kimmel, known as the Python Cowboy, is targeting these predatory reptiles that can grow up to 6.5 feet long and weigh nearly 20 pounds. Kimmel compares them to smaller Komodo dragons, describing them as intelligent predators that threaten native wildlife including burrowing owls and gopher tortoises. The lizards are fast runners reaching 18 miles per hour and strong swimmers that can hold their breath for an hour.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission encourages public reporting of Nile monitor sightings through their online mapping system. The state's extensive canal network provides ideal dispersal corridors for these semi-aquatic lizards, which eat everything from fish and frogs to small pets and livestock. Cape Coral hosts Florida's largest population of these striped invaders, posing significant risks to the area's threatened burrowing owl population and other native species.