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Pythons wipe out rabbits—and probably much more—in Everglades
Science Mag ^ | March 18, 2015 | Erik Stokstad

Posted on 03/20/2015 8:16:22 AM PDT by C19fan

Everglades National Park, a world-renowned wetland in southern Florida, once abounded with rabbits, raccoons, muskrats, and other small mammals. But roughly 15 years ago, these species started to become scarce. About the same time, biologists noticed a boom in the population of a predator that had invaded the 64,238-hectare park: the Burmese python. Now, an experiment adds to the evidence that the pythons, which grow up to 5 meters long, are to blame for the collapse of the mammals' populations.

“There’s no question that this is an environmental disaster,” says J. D. Willson of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, who was not involved in the study.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.sciencemag.org ...


TOPICS: Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: everglades; invasive; python
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To: SWAMPSNIPER
In 1979, the swamp rabbit species enjoyed a brief stint of notoriety when one swamp rabbit had a close encounter with Jimmy Carter. In April of that year, as President Carter was fishing on a small pond on his farm, a visibly agitated swamp rabbit approached his boat and tried to board. Carter used a paddle to splash water at the rabbit to dissuade it from swimming towards the boat.

Sounds like Jimma.

81 posted on 03/20/2015 10:18:07 AM PDT by McGruff (Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency - Barack Obama 2009)
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To: SWAMPSNIPER

Yep! That’s what we have, Swamp Rabbits. They have holes where they nest in my flower beds on the edge of a ravine. My dogs chase them but my dogs are getting old now and they don’t catch them anymore.


82 posted on 03/20/2015 10:22:59 AM PDT by Ditter
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To: Vinnie

There’s also a giant African snail. It wrecks houses but even more importantly obliterates native snails, which causes a problem for the Everglade snail kite, a bird that eats only native snails.


83 posted on 03/20/2015 10:23:35 AM PDT by Ray76
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To: Ditter

Your right ,it was somewhat sad, my daughter was young then and she would hide her eyes because she didn’t want to see them.


84 posted on 03/20/2015 10:25:12 AM PDT by depenzz ("it isn't a chance you take, its a choice you make")
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To: Ditter

Don’t know. And I think the type used was a generic version of Tylenol. Would assume the snake species doesn’t matter.


85 posted on 03/20/2015 10:26:49 AM PDT by pepsionice
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To: Ray76

http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/animals/africansnail.shtml
http://www.invasive.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=7130&start=1

86 posted on 03/20/2015 10:29:14 AM PDT by Ray76
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To: C19fan

You ever seen the Everglades?


87 posted on 03/20/2015 10:43:20 AM PDT by gundog (Help us, Nairobi-Wan Kenobi...you're our only hope.)
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To: Salamander

A friend of mine regularly took his out to a lake near Homestead. One day she got away.


88 posted on 03/20/2015 10:48:22 AM PDT by gundog (Help us, Nairobi-Wan Kenobi...you're our only hope.)
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To: DoodleDawg

They’re putting transmitters in females and finding males in breeding season with them.


89 posted on 03/20/2015 10:50:15 AM PDT by gundog (Help us, Nairobi-Wan Kenobi...you're our only hope.)
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To: Tennessee Nana; All

Still a pretty/hansome snake..

90 posted on 03/20/2015 11:07:56 AM PDT by skinkinthegrass
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To: depenzz
Whenever I am reminded of a sad/amusing rabbit event I think about my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Hazel. The lady next door was telling Hazel what a pretty, sweet dog she was. Hazel burped and vomited up a baby rabbit that she had swallowed whole. If that wasn't enough, she had vomited the rabbit up on the ladies shoes. It still makes me smile but it was sad!
91 posted on 03/20/2015 11:09:35 AM PDT by Ditter
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To: Ditter

I’m sure Hazel was sorry and didn’t mean any disrespect Lol


92 posted on 03/20/2015 11:18:26 AM PDT by depenzz ("it isn't a chance you take, its a choice you make")
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To: depenzz

Hazel didn’t give a rats azz but I am still laughing about it!


93 posted on 03/20/2015 11:21:34 AM PDT by Ditter
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To: skinkinthegrass

“Still a pretty/hansome snake.”

As snakes go


94 posted on 03/20/2015 11:21:52 AM PDT by depenzz ("it isn't a chance you take, its a choice you make")
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To: gundog

“You ever seen the Everglades?”

Don’t know about the party you ask the question but I have many hours bass fishing and hunting in the everglades. Lived in Naples for about 25 years and went to the Everglades quite often. While out there I use to wonder if I would ever reach a point where I would boast about my trips in the glades, here I m going back in my old memories and digging out some pretty good thoughts.


95 posted on 03/20/2015 11:31:18 AM PDT by depenzz ("it isn't a chance you take, its a choice you make")
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To: depenzz

FR has more ways of rewarding you than you can believe.


96 posted on 03/20/2015 11:33:38 AM PDT by depenzz ("it isn't a chance you take, its a choice you make")
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To: cripplecreek

Make python boots the rage and they’ll be hunted to extinction. Hey, how about python skin Air Jordans?


97 posted on 03/20/2015 11:38:55 AM PDT by chickenlips (Paul Ryano- GOPee poster boy)
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To: C19fan

There have been bounties offered for the Burms... here’s the problem. Every year, fewer and fewer Burmese pythons are captured... They’re dying off as well.

Let’s look at this scientifically for a minute. An adult Burmese python 10+ feet long will eat about one every 3 to 6 weeks. Let’s make the math simple and call it one meal a month. That’s 12 meals a year per adult snake. Do you realize how many animals it would take to make a dent in the fauna population in the Everglades? The Burms do not have those numbers and never will... out of a clutch of 60 eggs, less than 3 usually survive to adult hood because they are prey to far too many animals. This holds true even in the Everglades.

So, what then is causing the die off? Simple. Look where the petition to put Burms on the Lacey Act came from and look at the money where it’s coming from and going. The cause is man made and it’s Florida’s dirty little secret. Look at the water management in the area and who runs it, then look at who petitioned FWS for the Lacey Act stuff and look at the money flow.

On top of that, look at the illegal dumping of toxic chemicals in the region and ask why Florida is doing so little about it.

Burms are an invasive species but they have minimal impact due to their metabolism. For every 100 animals a Burm kills and eats, a cat will have killed thousands. Cats are a much more significant threat to the Everglades than any snake will ever be.

Hate the snakes all you want, they are not the issue here. They are being used as a scape goat to protect someone from going to jail. Unless the assault on the Burms stops and the real issue is addressed soon, the Everglades and every animal in there, including the Burmese python, will be gone.


98 posted on 03/20/2015 11:52:57 AM PDT by BCR #226 (02/07 SOT www.extremefirepower.com...The BS stops when the hammer drops.)
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To: McGruff

Also, wouldn’t the pythons be useful in keeping the rodent population in check? I don’t consider the snakes as “varmints”, rather as varmint eaters.


99 posted on 03/20/2015 3:43:03 PM PDT by pallmallman (Q)
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To: C19fan

Extinction is the norm.


100 posted on 03/21/2015 7:04:33 PM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
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