Dr. Melissa Miller–a wearer of multiple University of Florida hats: research scientist, wildlife ecologist with the school’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, lead investigator on a project that employs Artificial Intelligence technology seeking to halt the growing population of yet another invasive species, the Argentine Black and White Tegu—describes the tasks affiliated with each of those hats.
Miller also outlines some of the research projects she’d undertaken before tackling the Tegu investigation, noting she began specializing over the years in studying invasive species. She mentions she’s held a longtime passion for reptiles, dating back to her fascination for snakes—catching them in coffee cans–while growing up in Ohio.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Miller later shares that she currently keeps snakes at her home: It was an aside, really, while commenting on people who’ve obtained–often through the exotic pet trade–a young Burmese Python or Tegu, and decided their companion had become too big or too aggressive or too scary to continue living with, releasing them into the wild, commonly in or around the Everglades…