Posted on 02/03/2015 4:02:09 PM PST by george76
Florida wildlife officials, opening a new front in the war on invasive snakes, are recruiting the general public for "python patrols" that teach them how to identify and even capture some of the hissing, snapping reptiles.
"We consider (Burmese pythons) established, which means the hope of removing them is pretty slim," said Jenny Novak, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologist, during a recent training session with 20 volunteers in south Florida. "We're in management mode now."
...
Florida is a hub for the exotic pet trade and a hot bed of invasive species that have snuck into the tropical environment. An estimated 150,000 Burmese pythons now occupy the states southern half, according to officials.
Since the snakes were first spotted in the 1970s, they have become top predators in the ecologically fragile Everglades, gobbling up whole alligators and other native species, and growing more than 18 feet (5-1/2 meters) long.
The latest concern is a small population of aggressive North African "rock" pythons several miles west of downtown Miami. Since they were first discovered in 2001, 69 have been spotted and 29 have been captured
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
“I guess these were released when Andrew blew down a snake house and scattered the things all over.”
I saw a 12’+ one in a South Miami mangrove swamp in 1977.
So is this one:
Its cold out.
Beautiful pistols but you're more sportsmanlike than I. I'd be toting my 12 ga. riot gun with 00 buck.
If he has a college degree in barbecuing game, he’s got my vote.
Monty?
Are they kidding? If I saw one in the wild, dead would be the only way it would be!
I could be wrong, but that python is alive, they’ve got it barely under control, and both dudes are smiling nervously.
Photo also looks a little dated, IMO.
I would die on the spot if I ever saw one.
Not impressed:
Yes. That photo is dated. That snake was named "Fluffy," and was kept as a pet by Bob Clark, the breeder who hatched her, but was eventually sold to the Columbus Zoo in Ohio.
She died in 2011. You can read more about her and see more photos here.
Should be teaching them how to fry 'em up and eat 'em.
Problem solved.
Maybe we need a HighBeam ping list? :)
“PAGING GLADESGURU!”
Here I is!
;-)
These snakes were given a major boost by a government program, the Invasive Species Control Program. Think of an inter-agency effort by National Park Service(ParcMan and Florida Game Commission(Possum Police), all teh turf battles and personnel with the IQ of a possum.
First, ParcMan got funds to erradicate the ‘invasive’ wild pigs. Forget that these pigs were in Florida for 400 years, since the first Spanish left them for food for shipwrecked sailors. Never mind that any species that the pigs were going to eat into extinction were long ago eaten.
That Invasive Species money was all the AgencyPersons saw and wanted - the habitat entrusted to them be damned! it was a case of “GibsMeDat funding”!
ParcMan even started shooting pigs from the helicopters. Think APORKALYPSE NOW, but on your tax dollars and no taxpayers were offered a flight, let alone a shot.
Such Swine!
The AgencyPersons soon realized that a bounty program would not grow their agency, so bounties stopped. The AgencyPersons then demanded the public catch the snakes and bring them to the nice AgencyPersons to be “euthanized”.
Stuffing even an eight foot long python in a sack is no easy task, and the dentition of such a snake very impressive. Puncture wounds, anyone?
However, to allow the public to shoot a snake would offend the “wilderness” cahracter of the Everglades, would not justify enlarging the Agencies, and would support the traditional patterns of Americans using firearms. ‘Twas enough to cause their Lil’ Commie hearts to have simultaneous palpitations.
Meanwhile, back in the Concrete Jungle, citizens can carry a concealed weapon and use it to shoot threatening humans. But, Agencypersons outlawed shooting an invasive and dangerous snake in teh Everglades habitats..
An AgencyPersonette got a grant to go trolling for python. She ‘trained’ a beagle to track python, so she sez. The small, snack sized dog is given a kevlar vest.
That simple Rangerette should have known pet pigs are far smarter than her dog, have a far more sensitive sense of smell, and consider snakes a delicacy. One wonders if the pig was not used to avoid invideous performance comparisons?
SUggestions:
1. Bounties, big ones, are far cheaper than bureaucrats.
2. Allow shooting the snakes instead of bagging them.
HAHA!!
A friend of mine lost his Burmese near Homestead in the ‘80’s. I’m now convinced it left the truck because it smelled other python nearby. There was a show on this problem where they inserted radios into males and used them to find females. pretty cool. You could easily step on a 12 footer and not see it.
I new I would be in behind the curve on that one!
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