Burmese Python Giant pythons capable of swallowing a dog and even an alligator are rapidly making south Florida their home, potentially threatening other southeastern states, according to a new study
Posted on 05/17/2008 6:57:30 PM PDT by restornu
Giant pythons capable of swallowing a dog and even an alligator are rapidly making south Florida their home, potentially threatening other southeastern states, a study said.
"Pythons are likely to colonize anywhere alligators live, including north Florida, Georgia and Louisiana," said Frank Mazzotti, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professor, in his two-year study.
The pythons thriving in Florida are mostly Burmese pythons from Myanmar that were brought over as pets and then turned loose in the wild.
From 2002-2005, 201 of the beasts were caught by state authorities, but in the last two years the number has more than doubled to 418, Mazzotti said in his study published on the university Web site.
The largest python caught so far in Florida measured 16.4 feet and weighed 154 pounds.
Mazzotti said the serpents, despite their awesome size, are not poisonous, but are excellent swimmers and able to cover great distances in little time. Some, trapped and released with radio transmitters, swam 37 miles in a few hours.
Highly adaptable, pythons prey on cats, dogs, hares, foxes, squirrels, raccoons and even alligators, allowing them to thrive in a variety of environments.
After populating the Florida Everglades -- a vast marshland -- ,b>where it is estimated they number 30,000, the giant python is now spreading across the rest of the peninsula.
"Females may store sperm, so they can produce fertile clutches for years. And a 100-something pound snake can easily be producing 60, 80 eggs a year," said Mazzotti, adding that the reptile could eventually populate the entire southern United States.
No, I would not have expected that!
In most cases they escape rather than being turned loose. Snakes, especially pythons, are very strong and hard to contain. Someone I used to know of had snakes and when they got too big I heard that he sold them because they were quite valuable. No doubt, some of them have been released by ignorant folks, but considering the way they reproduce, it wouldn't take very many to start a feral population.
I suggest introducing Cajuns!
Hmmm...I wonder if python etouffee would be any good...
Or maybe deep-fried python...
Python jambalaya....
Cowboys. They look like they'd make a nice pair of boots.
that is the scariest, most disgusting picture I think I’ve ever seen
>>We have a bunch of stupid people in this world. Pythons are not meant to be pets.
Well, that’s not where the stoopid kicks in. When Horace (I assume these fools name ‘em) the snake is a little guy, it’s cool to see him chomp down on a lizard or grasshopper; but when he gets beyond the mouse and rat stage, that’s another thing.
The owners (whoops, sorry: companions) run down the Tamiami trail, and to the tune of “Born Free” wave goodbye to a 10’ Horace. That’s when it’s stoopid. We’ve got lotsa good Chinese restaurants in Miami - why not give Horace a big sendoff party - with him as the guest (dish) of honor?
Now that's a meal!
Except for maybe an alligator, they have no enemies.
How about a .12 ga. shotgun? Would that be enough of an “enemy”?
I shudder just reading this. I HATE snakes.
Are you trying to make sure I don’t sleep tonite ?
Of course not ... please sleep well. (darn, I had the best pic of python teeth I wanted to post)
I hope they both lose!
Yuck!
That kids parents are idiots. That snake could turn around and eat that child on any given day. They have four sets of dagger-like backward-tilting needle-sharp teeth, each about 2” long. Once that snake puts the chomp on that kid, he’s going down.
I hope the gators win that niche battle. I hate illegal aliens invader reptiles. I’m a gator nativist.
rip open
That’s a nasty little one-way ticket there.
Somgood eatin', cher, oh ya. Try out yo ownself!
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