A St. Augustine neighborhood is facing an invasion of not-so-wild, but definitely unwelcome, ball pythons. In fact, 22 of them in the last few weeks! Oh,joy! What a time to be alive!
According to First Coast News, Vincent Myers, a fearless neighborhood snake wrangler, has had his hands full. He's become a pro at hunting down these slippery serpents, finding them lurking in some of the most unexpected places. Imagine taking a leisurely stroll at night, post-rain, only to find a snake crossing the road.
And let me tell you, these pythons are not your ordinary garden-variety snakes. They've got albino balls with red eyes, solid white ones. Lots of exotic kinds. They all look scary to me!
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission suspects that these pythons are either escapees or abandoned pets. Can you blame them for wanting a taste of freedom, though? I mean, I wouldn't want to be stuck in some box all day long doing the same thing... Oh, Wait. Nevermind.
Ball Pythons:
However, if you happen to come across one of these non-native party crashers, don't you dare let it loose! We've got an Invasive Species Hotline for that. Call them. Not me at 1-888-Ive-Got1.
It's also worth mentioning that these snakes deserve some love too... Just not from me. And if you see a python, don't panic and don't try to handle it yourself. Instead, call the experts who can come to the rescue. Let's keep the outside neighborhoods safe, stylish, and serpent-free, cool?
And to all the ball pythons out there, just know that even if you're a bit intimidating, your lives matter too. You're not just cold-blooded creatures... You're cold-blooded creatures with feelings. But if you say me walking down the street. Keep a few feet away. Beacuse my feelings are fear of snakes.
Remeber, when it comes to dealing with invasive species, I'm not the one. Let the experts handle it.
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.
