Attention Everyone! The Burmese Python (Python molurus bivittatus) may be coming to a Neighborhood near You!
A news report released on March 7, 2012, entitled, Florida: Stopping a Burmese Python Invasion, has raised a lot of concerns, especially in the southeast United States. The article discusses how the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) originally inhabited Florida and how it is now causing enormous ecological problems to the area. Furthermore, it describes how conservation programs from the state to the federal levels have responded to the problem and suggests ways the public can help slow the spread of this invasive reptile.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the native climate of the invasive Burmese Python (i.e. Southeast Asia), reaches from Florida to as far north as South Carolina and as far west as Texas; therefore, these voracious pythons are capable of becoming new inhabitants of our state’s wildlife. These voracious reptiles have already acclimated quite well in Florida’s Everglades and are becoming a growing problem. Fully grown, the snakes can reach 13 feet long with the largest on record exceeding 16 feet! Today, Florida’s Burmese python population is estimated between 30,000 and 100,000 species. The snakes are quickly overtaking the Everglades and surrounding areas and are driving many endangered species to extinction.
In addition to the highly endangered Key Largo woodrat, more than 25 endangered bird species have been found in the digestive tracts of pythons. Thus, these snakes pose an incredible threat to native animals living in Florida’s forests. Furthermore, a report released this past January entitled, Severe Mammal Declines Coincide with Proliferation of Invasive Burmese Pythons in Everglades National Park, highlights the growing epidemic caused by these voracious reptiles. In the report, researchers suggest that these carnivorous snakes are to blame for the dramatic declines in mammal numbers in the Everglades.
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This photo is what made the Burmese my new favorite snake. Here a 13-foot Burmese python and a 6-foot alligator are photographed after a fight that resulted in the death of both reptiles. I guess this goes to show that Burmese pythons are indeed indiscriminate and voracious eaters! If the Burmese is bad enough to attack an alligator, how likely is it to attack a human? Not very likely. Pythons tend to avoid humans for the most part but try not to provoke them. Just let pythons be bygones. J
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Burmese Python
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Introduction of the Burmese to Florida
The initial spread of the Burmese python is believed to have happened more than a decade ago due to escaped or released pets. However, the first actually reporting was in 2007 when two researchers, including a University of St. Andrews graduate student, studying federally endangered Key Largo woodrats, discovered that one of their rat specimens, who was wearing a radio-transmitter collar, happened to travel over a mile from its nest. When they finally tracked the rat down, they stumbled upon a 7-1/2-foot Burmese python sunbathing while digesting both the woodrat and the radio-transmitter collar it was wearing! What a life!
“Never Fear, the ‘Python Patrol’ is Here!”
The Nature Conservancy’s commitment to protecting our nation’s natural ecosystems led to their creation of the “Python Patrol” in the Florida Keys in 2008. The program is focused on halting the spread of the pythons out of the Everglades in order to limit their negative impacts on surrounding ecosystems. In addition, the patrol serves to slow the breeding rates of the pythons while aiming to protect the endangered animals that the pythons tend to prey on. So far more than 200 people have been specially trained to capture the pythons. Furthermore, Florida locals are urged to inform law enforcement if they come across any pythons. Once captured, the snakes are “bagged, boxed, tagged and dropped off” to selected recipients for research or training.
“Reptiles of Concern”
“Reptiles of Concern”
In 2010, the Florida legislature officially prohibited the personal possession of seven large constrictors (including the Burmese python) as well as one monitor lizard, calling them “reptiles of concern.” However, the law does allow people who previously owned these reptiles before the new law went into effect to keep them as long as they follow state permitting procedures and have them properly microchipped and caged.
On January 17, 2012, four snakes were federally banned in order to prevent and manage invasive species: the Burmese python, the yellow anaconda, and the northern and southern African python. The law hopes to reduce the number of invasive snakes that escape from or are released by pet owners. These laws were supported by the Nature Conservancy in order to safeguard our natural wildlife while preventing further introduction or spreading of invasive reptiles.
What Can You Do?
Learn: The National Conservancy urges everyone to learn how to distinguish invasive from native reptiles. The University of Florida offers a FREE, 40-minute online REDDy (“Introduced Reptile Early Detection & Documentation”) training course so that we can all become more knowledgeable about the negative impacts caused by invasive reptiles. Plus you can earn a certificate at the end of the course!
Ø Go online to http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/reddy.shtml to take the course now!
Call: Early detection and rapid-response is the best way to stop pythons from spreading. Florida residents can call 1-888-Ivegot1 or go online at http://www.ivegot1.org/ to report a python sighting. Additionally, the University of Georgia has created an iPhone App called “IveGot1” so anyone can report any invasive species (including fish) that they may come across. Fo
Read the Full Article
To read the entire article, log onto: http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/florida/howwework/stopping-a-burmese-python-invasion.xml
1 comment:
Very interesting! Some researchers at the Savannah River Ecology Lab in Aiken, SC, suggest that pythons might not be able to establish this far north. They brought up some snakes and put them in an outdoor pen; the snakes died during a cold snap. However, if this year's mild winter is a sign of things to come, maybe pythons could expand up here. Yikes!
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