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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: Tax-chick

Maybe we should breed some really big mongooses (mongeese?)?


101 posted on 03/21/2015 7:11:40 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Proud Infidel, Gun Nut, Religious Fanatic and Freedom Fiend)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

But what would they eat after the pythons?


102 posted on 03/22/2015 4:58:12 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Google "tiny kitten pictures," and put down the gun.)
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