A study by the U.S. Geological Survey has Florida wildlife officials worried about a Burmese python invasion in the Everglades National Park. Since the pythons first made travel into the area in 1979, they have found the perfect breeding and feeding grounds. This could be why their numbers have grown to at least 300,000 snakes.
It’s thought that the Burmese python invasion actually started to have its grip on the area in 1992, when the area was devastated by Hurricane Andrew, and a python breeding facility was destroyed. Since then, local officials have tried many things to try to get rid of the snakes, using everything from traps to poison. There haven’t been results.
Burmese Python Invasion Decimates Local Wildlife
Wildlife biologists tracking the travel of the Burmese python invasion have tracked their entry into the Everglades, and what it has meant for local species like Marsh rabbits, wading birds, raccoons, possums, and other small animals that the snakes feed on. These populations have drastically decimated. During a project where some of the pythons were traced with GPS-capable radio tags, biologists discovered that the snakes live in a widespread area–actually traveling long distances on a daily basis. Since their invasion, they have become the top predator in the local environment.
Officials Fear These Pythons Will Never Leave
With their numbers in the hundreds of thousands, local biologists fear that the Burmese python invasion will never end. The snakes have no natural predators and even the mighty alligator fall prey to the snakes as a meal. The more they eat, the more they breed, according to local officials. They have discovered in a recent study that the range of a single python is about three miles. They often travel to find their food and mates. Additionally, this python is very hard to find since it is a muddy brown color and matches the foliage, mud and other area plants. These snakes can grow to 19-feet long and weigh more than 165 pounds for the females. The Burmese python lays a clutch of between eight and over a hundred eggs, so they repopulate rather quickly.
Studying Habitat to Help Curtail Burmese Python Invasion
The recent study shows officials that the Burmese pythons do have a few common areas they travel to and stay in, which is hopefully information that can be used to help control the python invasion. The study shows that the snakes tend to concentrate in areas along the coast and nearby tree islands, most likely to get to the birds who nest in the trees. They also found that despite the idea that salt water would help to contain the Burmese pythons, one snake in the survey was able to live in a saltwater mangrove area for more than a year with no trouble, which means they are very adaptable and able to overcome environmental difficulties. While the Burmese python invasion is not dangerous to people, if it is not stopped soon, the diverse and fragile life in the Everglades will be affected.
These Pythons can sometimes be found in Puerto Rico in rather large sizes, but don’t let that deter you:
https://youtu.be/5LUkR3WQUTc
