If you’ve ever visited Florida, particularly Disney World or Universal Orlando, you might not be super aware of some of the dangers you could find in the state.
Sure, you might see signs occasionally warning you not to swim in bodies of water with alligator warnings. Or you might see articles that occasionally warn you of other risks that the environment might pose. Well, right now, there are three new things that could prove hazardous if you come across them: flesh-eating bacteria, clusters of pink blobs, and pythons.
We recently reported that flesh-eating bacteria was found in Florida waters has killed four people in the state so far. The bacteria, known as Vibrio vulnificus, have been found in Hillsborough, Bay, Broward, and St. Johns counties. As a result, health officials have warned Floridians and those visiting the state about the dangers of salt water, where the bacteria is generally found.
These bacteria often make their way inland during hurricane season. They can cause serious illness, although death is rare. Bacteria can enter the body through open cuts or wounds or by eating raw or undercooked seafood. It develops quickly with symptoms that start as redness on the skin that spreads fast over a few hours or a day. If you notice symptoms, you’ll want to head to the emergency room ASAP.
Another thing you’ll want to be on the lookout for are pink blobs attached to concrete or plants, as well as near bodies of water. According to Click Orlando, these blobs are actually egg clutches for exotic apple snails, a highly invasive species of snail. However, these eggs are also poisonous and have a neurotoxin in them (so don’t touch!). They can also carry rat lung worm parasite. They’re also dangerous if eaten raw (so watch your pets).
Summer is the time of year when you tend to see these pink blobs more often, thanks to the Florida heat and humidity.
So you probably know that alligators pose a danger in Florida, but we also have a huge python problem, too. Yes, pythons, as in those massive snakes that can wrap themselves around their prey and squeeze them to death. They are a risk to humans, particularly children, as well as pets. However, according to The Palm Beach Post, they’ve also been responsible for traffic accidents when crossing roads. They are often found near bodies of water.
Pythons are such a problem in Florida that the annual 10-Day Python Challenge is now underway for hunters to help rid the Everglades of the invasive Burmese pythons in the state. The person who catches the most pythons wins $10,000.
Florida can be a dangerous state, so even if you’re just visiting theme parks, it might not hurt to understand some of the dangers you could face when visiting. Check back with AllEars again soon for more.
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Have you ever come across any of these hazards in Florida in the wild? Let us know in the comments!
