Python Wars
-baby Burmese Python found in the effort to remove this
invasive species for the Everglades
The impact the human population has
posed on our planet is irreversible and detrimental to many areas of the world.
People impact the environment in just about everything we do. Many of these environmental impacts can be
inescapable such as transporting food and other goods, growing crops in
otherwise forested areas and the list goes on, but when we impact our
environment deliberately this gives myself and others that share my opinion the
idea that our society may be in for a tough future. It’s great to see that
action is being done to undo the problems done in the past. In Florida, due to
the increase in the pet trade over the last couple of decades, programs have
been put in motion to combat the ever increasing introduction of invasive none
native populations of Burmese Pythons in the Everglades National Park. Between the dates of January 12 through February
10 the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and partners launched the
2013 Python Challenge which encouraged volunteers from all over the state to
come and remove as many of the pythons from state wildlife management areas within
the everglades to counteract the increasing population of this introduced
species and to also collect a small reward for doing so. Yes it is true;
Florida is actually paying volunteers to take animals out of the environment.
This sounds awesome. However, the problem comes from the fact that this
particular species can grow up to 26 feet long and can weigh up to 200 pounds. This
is a huge snake, one that kills native wildlife and mammals, and forces these native
species to flee the area. Causing another problem, movement of animal
populations into urban areas where they are often killed by motorists or as
pests unwanted in these urban areas. The pythons are very well adapted to this Florida
environment and action has to be taken to stop the increasing decline of other
native populations. Thus, 2013 Python Challenge was started and yielded a whooping
total number of 68 snakes. This may sound like a low number but according to
Kenneth Krysko, “It's unknown just
how many Burmese pythons live in Florida, but catching 68 snakes is an
"exceptional" number”. According to the scientists involved in the
program these snake are extremely hard to spot and remain hidden for most of
the day, and so finding 68 seems to be a very good impact on a population found
in the everglades. There is no
additional information on the success of this program and if they are likely to
do it again next year, but you can beat your Burmese python that I will
be there next year if they indeed decide to continue the effort.
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