Where is the Python invading?
Non-native Burmese pythons have established a breeding population in South Florida and are one of the most concerning invasive species in Everglades National Park. Pythons compete with native wildlife for food, which includes mammals, birds, and other reptiles.
What makes the Burmese python invasive?
The Burmese python is an invasive species to Florida’s Everglades, released by people who were not prepared to care for them as pets. The pythons are disrupting the natural ecosystem. The biodiversity in these areas has decreased rapidly and efforts to remove them have not been successful.
Where did Burmese pythons come from?
Burmese pythons are native to Asia, from eastern India through Vietnam and southern China.
What makes a Python a nonvenomous snake?
The Python is a family of nonvenomous snakes. It means that their bite does not carry venom, the poison. Pythons have a great tendency to bite. This tendency lowers down as they get familiar with their owner and get used to its handling. It also loves to eat and can mistakenly bit fingers, thinking them of food.
How did the Burmese python get into the wild?
A small number of Burmese pythons were set free by irresponsible owners who sought to abandon their pets. Also, Hurricane Andrew damaged breeding facilities in 1992, which released several hundred Burmese pythons into the wild.
How are they getting rid of the Pythons in Florida?
Florida’s government has stepped in to try to control the burgeoning python population. In addition to contracting hunters like Kalil, they’ve allowed open season on the snakes all year long. Residents are authorized to catch and kill Burmese pythons by almost any means necessary, with no permit required, especially on private lands.
When did the Pythons come to the Everglades?
But most experts believe the pythons established a reproducing population in the Everglades sometime after Hurricane Andrew—a category 5 storm that devastated the state in August 1992. It was during that storm that a python breeding facility was destroyed, releasing countless snakes into the nearby swamps.
A small number of Burmese pythons were set free by irresponsible owners who sought to abandon their pets. Also, Hurricane Andrew damaged breeding facilities in 1992, which released several hundred Burmese pythons into the wild.
What to do if you see a python in the wild?
If you see a python in the wild – or suspect that a snake is a python or an invasive snake – you should take the same precautions for these constrictor snakes as one would take for alligators: avoid interacting with or getting close to them. If you are in Everglades National Park, you can report a python sighting to a park ranger.
Who was the scientist that caught the Python?
Frank Mazzotti, a scientist who has been studying them for more than a decade, told me about a time when he and his colleagues caught a python, attached a radio transmitter for research purposes, and released it. “I was holding the back end of the snake, and the front end was in some shallow water,” Mazzotti said.
What to do if you see an African rock python?
With the recent introduction of the African rock python, experts have developed a “Python patrol” in an effort to eradicate populations of both species before a hybrid is formed. If you have seen a python it is important to notify local wildlife management authorities immediately.
What eats pythons in Florida?
Because of their large size, adult Burmese pythons have few predators, with alligators and humans being the exceptions. They prey upon native species and may reduce their populations locally. Research is underway to ascertain the impacts pythons have on native mammal species.
