Pythons wipe out rabbits—and probably much more—in Everglades

Science Mag ^ | March 18, 2015 | Erik Stokstad

[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.

[C19fan]

How is it that man can wipe out entire species yet this invasive species is reeking havoc in the Everglades. Why is there no bounty on this pest. Offer a $100 a snake and I bet lots of hunters and like will get the job done.

[thackney]

Publish some recipes in Louisiana and charge $100 for the out-of-state hunting licenses.

[biff]

I think they tried open season on the things and it turned out a disaster as far as snake count. Buggers are very difficult to find when they don’t want to be.

[rktman]

If I didn’t think they’d get my dog, I’d sure like to use one in my backyard. Friggin’ rabbits act like they paid for the sod. Of course I don’t think the pythons would like the climate here. Guess they’ll have to adapt. :>}

[RoadGumby]

It wouldn’t take $100.

Declare the large snakes invasive, a ‘varmint’. $5 per head, you can keep the hide and the meat.

Problem would decrease markedly.

[dfwgator]

Pythons wipe out rabbits

I thought it was the other way around.

[Verginius Rufus]

Pythons: making the Everglades safe for Jimmy Carter to visit.

[McGruff]

If a rabbit can't outrun a snake he deserves to be dinner. Process of natural selection you know.

[thackney]

Well played

[SampleMan]

Solution: Genetically engineer a new breed of slow raccoon, with an integral half pound of C4 that detonates when it comes into contact with a Python stomach acid.

[skinkinthegrass]

just make sure they're Burmese pyhtons..not others species..

google rainbow snakes.

[plain talk]

Not an easy task to control pythons. The only way to really eradicate them is wipe out all the creatures in an area en masse and start over.

[blueunicorn6]

So, all the people who bought snakes so they could watch the snakes eat small animals and then got tired of taking care of the snakes and turned them loose in the swamps might have caused a problem? Gosh. Who could have seen that coming?

[Arkansas Toothpick]

There is a boom now, but as the population of edible prey dwindles, so will the python population. Right?

[dfwgator]

[IMR 4350]

Open a restaurant in NY that only serves python.

Put an extremely high price on each dish.

Use only prairie fairies as waiters. The swishier and rude the better.

Hire another prairie fairy food critic to proclaim it’s just fabulous.

Pretty soon every left wing freak show will be lining up just to eat there because if you don’t you’re a homophobe.

Repeat only using all black staff and proclaim if you don’t eat there you’re a racist.

Pretty soon no more snake problem.

[max americana]

You could call the Snake Hunt’ a disaster but the concept of hunting was successful, as it was made a public spectacle. Even the anti-hunting libtards were Ok with it.

[dfwgator]

Then the pythons move towards inhabited neighborhoods and that’s when the fun really begins.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

There Won't Be Another Public Python Hunt In The Florida Everglades

[JoeProBono]