Herps in the News: Burmese Pythons

 Caitlyn Moss

Herps in the News: Burmese Pythons

    The article, "Exotic Animal Invaders: Tracking the invasive Burmese python through the swamps of Florida," (published March 17, 2022) gives an update to the ongoing battle against Burmese pythons in the Everglades. The first Burmese python found in the Everglades was recorded in 1979, likely a release or escape from the pet trade. Since the early 1900s, Florida has been a hotspot for non-native animal species, with more than 130,000 reports, ranging from fishes (both saltwater and freshwater), reptiles, and amphibians. The Burmese python in particular has a far reaching impact on local wildlife. The article reports on a study by the United States Geological Survey that, "the most severe declines in native species have occurred in the remote southernmost regions of Everglades National Park, where pythons have been established the longest," citing several examples such as the the raccoon population, which has decreased by 99.3% since the introduction of the pythons. 

    The article details the work of wildlife biologist Matthew McCollister as he tracks four large male pythons, called "scout snakes". The purpose of tagging these scout snakes is to hopefully be led to a larger breeding female, as the way to eliminate the population more effectively is to capture the breeding females. Another reason for tagging these snakes is to understand how they are using the environment. In understanding that aspect of their biology, scientists can have a greater understanding of how they are surviving and thriving in an environment that is not their native one. McCollister claims that they may even be doing better in the Everglades as a population than in their native range. The article also interviews Tyson Facto, who is the supervisor of herps and aquatics at ZooTampa. This zoo houses a great number of species that have invaded Florida, in order to educate the public on what to do if they see one in the wild, or even have one as a pet.

    So, what should you do if you have one of these animals as a pet? There is a phrase that Sarah Funck from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) uses: "don't let it loose". If you find that your exotic pet of any caliber becomes too much for you to handle, the FWC has an Exotic Pet Amnesty Program. This program allows for the surrendering of all kinds of exotic pets, with no penalties or questions attached. So far, the program has taken in 6,554 animals, with most of them being turtles, lizards, and snakes. 

    This article I believe contributes a good update to the ongoing battle against Burmese pythons in Florida. While it is not heavy in scientific jargon or specifics, it is targeted toward the common citizen, attempting to educate them on the problem that exotic pets are causing in Florida. Therefore, I believe that the lack of scientific specificity is appropriate, as the average citizen would not understand all of the jargon, and therefore would not gain much from the article. I believe that the author would probably have a bias toward wanting to eradicate the species from the Everglades, but that is because the people they interviewed for this article also want that. Ecologically, the eradication of the population would be a good thing, but some people are of the mind that we should let them do what they want to do. 

Article Link: https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/full-circle/exotic-animal-invaders-tracking-the-invasive-burmese-python-through-the-swamps-of-florida