Invasive species in the everglades?

[old lady]

Are the rumors about pythons eating all the gators and natural snake species?

 

[dancin Disney style]

Yep...true. You can find Youtube videos that show a couple of incidents. I also recall a news story some time in the last year where someone found a 10+ foot Python on the side of the road in southern FL. The big ones are strong enough and powerful enough to take on a gator.

 

[dancin Disney style]

just to add....

the Pythons haven't eaten 'all' the gators and snakes....but it is a problem.

 

[Art 1]

A caught a python a few years ago. It was coiled out on a street at night, thought it was a rattlesnake at first. One of the neighborhood kids kept it as a pet.

 

[AJKMOM]

Someone posted a picture of a python and alligator that managed to kill each other in a fight. Looked like, somehow the alligator burst open the python and then died. It wa gruesome.

Unfortunately, the pythons and boas are eating the same food the gators would eat, and destroying the "natural balance" in the Everglades. There was just a large snake hunt with prizes for various categories of captured killed snakes.

 

[maddiebee]

 

[jaykorf001]

Are the rumors about pythons eating all the gators and natural snake species?

I read an article, I believe it was a National Geographic article but can't swear 100%, about how the invasive pythons have virtually killed ALL of the rabbits, raccoons, and other small mammals in large parts of southern Florida. Google it.

 

[Disney_Fanatic25]

It is an issue but there are other invasive species besides pythons. During the recent roundup they realized that the python problem was not as bad as once thought. The problem is the black market sales of these animals. They get funneled through MIA and sometimes get loose or will be let go in the wild.

 

[mikehn]

Invasion of the giant pythons, sounds like it might make a good summer blockbuster movie

 

[BeerMe]

Invasion of the giant pythons, sounds like it might make a good summer blockbuster movie

 

[dancin Disney style]

Invasion of the giant pythons, sounds like it might make a good summer blockbuster movie

It's the second part of Sharknato

 

[spiceycat]

pbs did a story on this - might be either Nova or Nature - not sure - so again google it.

public broadcasting system - pbs

 

[Enjoying Life]

This problem came about from people who had pythons as pets. When they get too big they release them. The pythons flourished in the Everglades because they have no enemies or predators there. It is unnatural, and has become a serious issue.

Did you see the news yesterday where a "pet" python killed two boys?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/2-boys-killed-by-python-canada_n_3712512.html

 

[KapBoy77]

This problem came about from people who had pythons as pets. When they get too big they release them. The pythons flourished in the Everglades because they have no enemies or predators there. It is unnatural, and has become a serious issue.

Did you see the news yesterday where a "pet" python killed two boys?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/2-boys-killed-by-python-canada_n_3712512.html

This is extremely sad and horrific. It's being reported constantly around here and I feel so bad for those boys and their family.

 

[10_Kyle_10]

Here's the article a PP was referring to:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...se-pythons-mammals-everglades-science-nation/

 

[jaykorf001]

Here's the article a PP was referring to:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/01/120130-florida-burmese-pythons-mammals-everglades-science-nation/

Thanks for linking this. It is the exact article I had read. Animal Planet just did a special on this as well. However, my dvr screwed up the recording so I only saw a small portion of it. I did see the portion about a family with small children that stumbled on an 18 foot python while visiting the Everglades. Luckily they were okay and agents came and killed the snake. I'm going to try and record it again.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Yes. This is why this past winter Florida allowed for pythons to be hunted in the everglades even having a contest for the most kills & largest python killed.

Sadly, a lot of people dump pets they don't want anymore in the everglades. There are even a few rescues around for the dogs left out there.