Pythons wiping out mammals in Everglades

[Doomsday101]

Burmese pythons have eaten so many small mammals in Everglades National Park that populations of rabbits and foxes have disappeared and numbers of raccoons, opossums and bobcats have dropped as much as 99%, according to a report released Tuesday by researchers at Virginia Tech University, Davidson College and the U.S. Geological Survey.

“Pythons are wreaking havoc on one of America’s most beautiful, treasured, and naturally bountiful ecosystems,” said U.S. Geological Survey Director Marci McNutt in a statement.

The massive nonnative snakes have become an established species in the park in the past 11 years, after snakes that were once pets were released into the wild, according to the researchers. Park spokeswoman Linda Friar said earlier this month that there are tens of thousands of the snakes in the park.

In the remote southernmost regions of the 1.5 million-acre national park, researchers could find no marsh or cottontail rabbits or foxes. In those same areas, the raccoon population has declined 99.3%, the opossum population 98.9%, and the bobcat population 87.5%, the researchers reported.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/3...als-in-everglades-researchers-say/?hpt=hp_bn1

 

[Rackat]

Burmese pythons have eaten so many small mammals in Everglades National Park that populations of rabbits and foxes have disappeared and numbers of raccoons, opossums and bobcats have dropped as much as 99%, according to a report released Tuesday by researchers at Virginia Tech University, Davidson College and the U.S. Geological Survey.

“Pythons are wreaking havoc on one of America’s most beautiful, treasured, and naturally bountiful ecosystems,” said U.S. Geological Survey Director Marci McNutt in a statement.

The massive nonnative snakes have become an established species in the park in the past 11 years, after snakes that were once pets were released into the wild, according to the researchers. Park spokeswoman Linda Friar said earlier this month that there are tens of thousands of the snakes in the park.

In the remote southernmost regions of the 1.5 million-acre national park, researchers could find no marsh or cottontail rabbits or foxes. In those same areas, the raccoon population has declined 99.3%, the opossum population 98.9%, and the bobcat population 87.5%, the researchers reported.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/3...als-in-everglades-researchers-say/?hpt=hp_bn1

Allow Python hunting in the park. Their skin makes good boots, belts, shoes, and other items.

 

[Doomsday101]

Allow Python hunting in the park. Their skin makes good boots, belts, shoes, and other items.

I'm sure it will come down to that. I know that they have been considered protected species but given the problems in Florida and the fact they are not indigenous to the US they should permit the hunting of them

 

[TheCount]

Wow, 10's of thousands of them? I bet they don't even have a natural predator there either. Invasive species are really doing a number on the ecosystem. Sad.

 

[Cythim]

Wow, 10's of thousands of them? I bet they don't even have a natural predator there either. Invasive species are really doing a number on the ecosystem. Sad.

I read about this a few months ago, you are right about them having no natural predator. This is what happens when humans mess with natural ecosystems for their own pleasure.

 

[Doomsday101]

I read about this a few months ago, you are right about them having no natural predator. This is what happens when humans mess with natural ecosystems for their own pleasure.

This is what happens when idiots buy exotic animals without understanding what they are getting into.

 

[burmafrd]

This is what happens when idiots buy exotic animals without understanding what they are getting into.

that is ABSOLUTELY what has happened. It is not accidental; this is done by arrogance and greed and stupidity.

 

[Muhast]

Wow, 10's of thousands of them? I bet they don't even have a natural predator there either. Invasive species are really doing a number on the ecosystem. Sad.

Alligators typically don't bother with snakes. So I don't think they do either.

Not to mention they breed like crazy and are large!

 

[Cythim]

This is what happens when idiots buy exotic animals without understanding what they are getting into.

It happens with trees as well and you can buy them at Lowes or Home Depot. I remember reading about a type of tree in Austin that spreads easily and chokes out natural vegetation without providing any sustenance for wildlife to feed on.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Wow, 10's of thousands of them? I bet they don't even have a natural predator there either. Invasive species are really doing a number on the ecosystem. Sad.

I read about this a few months ago, you are right about them having no natural predator. This is what happens when humans mess with natural ecosystems for their own pleasure.

We should import a few honey badgers then! :laugh2:

 

[Doomsday101]

We should import a few honey badgers then! :laugh2:

Honey badgers don’t they live in Baton Rouge Louisiana? :laugh2:

 

[kmp77]

Open season on snakes??

 

[YosemiteSam]

It happens with trees as well and you can buy them at Lowes or Home Depot. I remember reading about a type of tree in Austin that spreads easily and chokes out natural vegetation without providing any sustenance for wildlife to feed on.

Are you thinking about Bamboo? It is extremely invasive.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Honey badgers don’t they live in Baton Rouge Louisiana? :laugh2:

Did you miss the "we should import some honey badgers" part of that post?

 

[Doomsday101]

Open season on snakes??

It will be open season on snakes or hunters depending on how drunk they get while messing around with snakes who can reach lengths of 16 feet. :laugh2:

 

[DCBoysfan]

Honey badgers don’t they live in Baton Rouge Louisiana? :laugh2:

Funny..I see what you did there

 

[Cythim]

Are you thinking about Bamboo? It is extremely invasive.

This was something with a canopy they blocked sunlight and berries that birds couldn't digest I think. Maybe the Chinaberry tree. Point being we bring in exotics because of the look and end up destroying the natural environment.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

If there's a commercial market for them, sell the permits and start hunting. PETA members may hold protests deep in the Everglades, at night, at will.

It's a win-win situation folks.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Saw a good show on this on PBS a few months ago. You can watch the whole thing here.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/invasion-of-the-giant-pythons/video-full-episode/5565/

 

[bbgun]

http://img830.*************/img830/7787/dailypicdump84064005.jpg

it bit my hiney