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South Florida researchers use GPS-fitted possums and raccoons to capture invasive pythons: reports
Fox News ^ | February 12,2023 | Greg Wehner

Posted on 02/12/2023 5:18:43 PM PST by Hojczyk

https://www.foxnews.com/us/south-florida-researchers-gps-fitted-possums-raccoons-capture-invasive-pythons-reports

The Tampa Bay Times reported that a group of researchers has been watching raccoon and possum behavior on the edges of Crocodile National Wildlife Refuge, located nearly 40 miles south of Miami in Key Largo.

Though it took a month for the researchers to locate the tracker as the snake moved in and out of Key Largo’s labyrinth of caves, when they did, they found a 12-foot-long, 66-pound female python full of egg follicles. Such a snake has the potential of laying 100 eggs, and capturing one and removing it from the ecosystem can prevent hundreds of future snakes from being introduced into the ecosystem.

After euthanizing the snake, the Times reported, researchers were able to open the snake up and retrieve the collar so that it could be placed on another possum at a later date.

Researchers found that the collars outfitted on small mammals gives them a new way to track Burmese pythons, which are from Southeast Asia and were introduced into the Everglades in the 1990s.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: fl; florida; pythons
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1 posted on 02/12/2023 5:18:43 PM PST by Hojczyk
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To: Hojczyk

They gave their life to a good and worthy cause.


2 posted on 02/12/2023 5:22:28 PM PST by Jonty30 (THE URGE TO SAVE THE WORLD IS ALMOST ALWAYS AN URGE TO RULE IT)
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To: Hojczyk

I absolutely hate snakes.

These Pythons are aggressive, nasty critters.


3 posted on 02/12/2023 5:23:45 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: Hojczyk

It’s not often one wants to cheer for a possum,but yay possums!


4 posted on 02/12/2023 5:25:20 PM PST by bigbob
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To: Hojczyk

Send these out....

https://phys.org/news/2012-12-legged-squad-ls3-darpa-four-legged.html

https://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-11/video-darpas-new-fastrunner-robot-robo-ostrich-capable-30-mph-sprints/


5 posted on 02/12/2023 5:26:59 PM PST by frank ballenger (You have summoned up a thundercloud. You're gonna hear from me. Anthem by Leonard Cohen)
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To: Hojczyk

I give bread to a little possum (when I have it) - there have been about 3 but the other two seem to be gone.

No joke, the little guy came to the back door about 5-6 weeks ago. All I had was Ritz crackers. Probably risky but I handed it down to him and he took it as gently as a puppy (I was out of bread that night; like right now).

Whatever he doesn’t take, the raccoons will. Had 5 on the deck about 6-8 months ago. It was a raccoon party. Err, food event.


6 posted on 02/12/2023 5:29:56 PM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: bigbob

Possums are good

They eat ticks and othe creepy things


7 posted on 02/12/2023 5:34:46 PM PST by digger48
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To: digger48

“Possums are good”

Pythons consider them good tasting!


8 posted on 02/12/2023 5:39:46 PM PST by TexasGator
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To: Hojczyk

Clever!


9 posted on 02/12/2023 5:56:00 PM PST by Tax-chick (Zip! Thud. The end.)
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To: Hojczyk
Better to use raccoons and possums with tracking devices and explosive devices.
10 posted on 02/12/2023 6:01:04 PM PST by airborne (Thank you Rush for helping me find FreeRepublic!)
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To: Jonty30
The method of hunting is called Live Baiting.

ASPCA not happy with it.

11 posted on 02/12/2023 6:01:34 PM PST by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.)
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To: Deaf Smith

The should tell the ASPCA to shut it, because they are saving more oppossums and raccoons by using a few for bait.


12 posted on 02/12/2023 6:03:46 PM PST by Jonty30 (THE URGE TO SAVE THE WORLD IS ALMOST ALWAYS AN URGE TO RULE IT)
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To: bigbob

Love the opossums. They love ticks. I hate ticks.


13 posted on 02/12/2023 6:07:52 PM PST by TribalPrincess2U (D.I.S.T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N.S.)
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To: Hojczyk

A little girl walks into a pet shop. She asks the owner for a bunny, and he asks her “what kind of bunny would you like? A cute black one, an adorable brown one or perhaps a sweet little white one?”

The girl looks at the owner and answers: “I don’t think my python really cares...”


14 posted on 02/12/2023 6:15:02 PM PST by Deaf and Discerning
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To: SaveFerris; bigbob; digger48; TribalPrincess2U
Possums are tick vacuum cleaners, like chickens & guinea hens and the like.

You want them around.

15 posted on 02/12/2023 6:31:36 PM PST by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: bigbob
It’s not often one wants to cheer for a possum,but yay possums!


16 posted on 02/12/2023 7:13:33 PM PST by null and void (You can’t have a police state without a state police.)
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To: Hojczyk
Possums are notorious informers....


17 posted on 02/12/2023 7:27:36 PM PST by Bobalu (Unrepentant communists, NAZI’s and totalitarians of all stripe are bowing toward Davos)
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To: SaveFerris
One evening I spread some dry cat food on the large upstairs deck of my home in the wilderness. In no time, I counted more than 30 raccoons and one possum feasting on the cat food.

I repeated this a night or two later but decided that it was not a good idea and never did it again.

18 posted on 02/12/2023 7:28:50 PM PST by Savage Beast (If America is drawn into another war...it will be because of...human ostriches ~Espionage Agent 1939)
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To: Savage Beast

We fed ferals on our screen porch until we made them indoor cats. Some mornings there would be possums and raccoons eating the dry food.

Possums are so ugly they’re cute.


19 posted on 02/12/2023 7:36:40 PM PST by MayflowerMadam (Stupid is supposed to hurt.)
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To: kiryandil

Yeah I read a little about them. Sounds like great creatures.

Their little hands are amazing.


20 posted on 02/12/2023 8:00:47 PM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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