New Report Shows It May Be “Impossible” To Eradicate The Florida Burmese Python Population
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (2nd R) helps hold a python as he kicks off the 2021 Python Challenge in the Everglades on June 03, 2021 in Miami, Florida. The governor stands with (L-R) McKayla Spencer, the Interagency Python Management Coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Ron Bergeron, and Rodney Barreto, the chairman of the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. The 10-day event will run from July 9 to 18, with prizes going to participants who catch the most and the biggest pythons. The event began as a way for hunters to help control the population of the invasive Burmese python in the Florida Everglades. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The invasive Florida Burmese Python has been wreaking havoc in the Everglades for decades. And now they've been branching out much further. It's not an uncommon sight for one to show up in East Naples, but they've made it up to Fort Myers. And Lake Okeechobee. And that spread shows no signs of changing. A new report from the United States Geological Survey shows that "eradication of the population across the landscape is not possible with existing tools". So no amount of Python Hunters searching the Everglades is going to be able to finish the job.
It's not for lack of trying, but Burmese Python's are hard to find. “Extremely low individual python detection rates hamper our ability to both estimate python abundance and expand control tools across the extensive natural landscape” says USGS Research Ecologist Kristen Hart, an author of the publication. And they aren't just hiding, they are spreading into other parts of Florida. Including to us here in Southwest Florida.
You can see the snakes have made it up to Lake Okeechobee, over to Fort Myers, Cape Coral, even down to Key Largo.
The spread will likely continue.
Now, there are people working for the state of Florida full time that hunt these pythons. Also, the Florida Python Hunting Challenge does an amazing job of clearing out some of these monsters. Last year, 231 snakes were killed. But as the study shows, they'll never get them all.
Is there another way? Maybe "Researchers at USGS and partner institutions are exploring potential novel techniques such as genetic biocontrol." The term “genetic biocontrol” refers to techniques that alter the genetic material of an organism to control invasive species in the environment. Could it work? So far the technology is being used on fruit flies. "the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR to produce male fruit flies that are sterile. When they mate with females in the wild, they produce no offspring."
I'm not a specialist in CRISPR so I don't even know if it's possible to use the biocontrol technology on snakes. However, another way that's being used is putting GPS collars on possums and raccoons. After the animal is eaten, they can follow the signal back to the snake. Again with this method, they'll never get them all.
We'll just have to deal with this invasive Florida Burmese Python being a part of our state. Just like green iguanas, Brazilian pepper trees & snow birds.
Everglades Gone Wild: 18 Foot Python Eats 5 Foot Alligator
It's bad enough all the pythons that are wrecking the ecosystem of the Everglades. Also, they're spreading out. During a hunt just 3 weeks ago a 14 foot python was captured in Naples.
Many of the snakes being captured seem to be getting larger. Case in point. This 18 foot python was captured with a fully intact 5 foot alligator inside of it. I image he was moving pretty slow after such a large meal and was easy to capture. By the looks of the video it seems that the alligator hasn't been digested at all. Geoscientist Rosie Moore described the video on her Instagram "This particular Python was roughly 18 ft, and had consumed a 5ft alligator. " She goes on to explain why the pythons are such a threat "Due to the the subtropical environment of South Florida, paired with the Burmese pythons long life span and rapid reproduction, these snakes have successfully invaded ecologically sensitive areas such as Everglades National Park. This poses a threat to a variety of wildlife, due to the pythons wide dietary preferences."
Obviously this python definitely does not belong in the Everglades. Kudos to those who captured and euthanized it. No other animal in the swamp stands a change against one of these monsters.
No one's completely certain how the python was introduced in the Everglades. And now it seems they're getting larger. And hungrier.
I don't know her, but Rosie Moore looks to be a total badass. Here's some more from her Instagram:
At home below the water as she is above it. Not sure exactly where this dive is, but it's gorgeous.
Even with it's mouth taped shut. you wouldn't find me on top of a gator like that. You really need to have no fear to do this job.
If you're in Florida, you know how bad the python problem is here. Rosie is doing her part to keep the invasion at bay.
Yes, Florida also has crocodiles. How can she look so calm holding this thing?
A beach shot. Just because.
Shout out to the STEM program. Thank you Rosie.
