Thread: Pythons in the Everglades

From the USGS

Mid-sized mammals in Everglades National Park are getting a big squeeze from invasive Burmese pythons, according to a USGS co-authored study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. These pythons, large constricting snakes native to Asia that can reach more than 20 feet in length and upwards of 200 pounds, are now found throughout much of southern Florida, including all of Everglades National Park. Since the recognition 11 years ago that these invasive, exotic snakes were breeding in the park, formerly common mammals there have declined dramatically.

The status of species that are rare, patchily distributed, active during the day, or that don’t cross roads was not assessed in this new study.

The university and federal scientists who conducted the study found that the most severe declines in mammals appear to have occurred in the remote southernmost regions of the park, where pythons have been established the longest. In this area, observations of raccoons dropped 99.3 percent, opossums 98.9 percent and bobcats 87.5 percent. Marsh and cottontail rabbits, as well as foxes, were not seen at all in recent years, despite having been present in the 1990s.

The authors suggested that one reason for such dramatic declines in such a short time is that these prey species may be “naïve” to large constrictor snakes — that is, they are not used to being preyed upon by pythons since such large snakes have not existed in the eastern United States for millions of years. In addition, some of the declining species could be both victims of being eaten by pythons and of having to compete with pythons for food.

The rest of the article


Not even the American Alligator can escape the wrath of the Burmese Python.

Additional Info on the issue by Davidson College

The Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) is a large constricting snake native to Southeast Asia that can reach a length of more than 20 feet. They are long-lived (15 – 35 years), a behavioral, habitat, and dietary generalist, capable of producing clutches of up to 100 eggs. This invasive exotic species is popular in the pet trade and is now firmly established in Everglades National Park and other parts of south Florida. Wild pythons pose a significant threat to many species of native wildlife. Currently, estimates of population sizes range from 30,000 to over 100,000 snakes. The semi-aquatic python’s diet in southern Florida includes raccoons, bobcats, white-tailed deer, wading birds, and alligators. Such predation has the potential to cause significant ecosystem disruption. The potential for these large snakes to kill humans is real, but predation on humans by large constricting snakes is extremely rare.

Because of the danger invasive pythons pose for many species of native wildlife, including numerous endangered species, and their potential to disrupt ecosystems, scientists are studying these invasive snakes to better understand the impacts they have on native wildlife and to develop methods for controlling their populations.

Source

This is why introducing an alien species into a non-native habitat is bad >:|