FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Burmese python, green iguana and lionfish are, by now, well-known invasive species that have established a dangerous foothold in Florida.
But a fearsome new invasive predator has emerged in the state: the arapaima, a monster fish that can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh hundreds of pounds.
A dead one recently washed ashore in Cape Coral’s Jaycee Park along the Caloosahatchee River, which runs from Lake Okeechobee west to the Gulf of Mexico. [TRENDING: Sheriff: Man cut off grandpa’s ears | Cops kill man suspected of fatally shooting his mom | SpaceX launch creates crazy clouds] The arapaima is native to the Amazon River in South America and is one of the world’s largest predatory fish.