Posted on 07/17/2009 6:08:47 AM PDT by dennisw
The python posse is turning into a brigade.
The federal government on Thursday said it would open up Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge, which borders Everglades National Park, to a pilot program allowing licensed hunters to ''terminate'' any python they encounter.
It's part of a broad program to control the invasive snakes, laid out Thursday by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. The announcement comes days after Florida Sen. Bill Nelson called for a controlled hunt in Everglades National Park and state wildlife managers announced they would permit expert trappers to kill snakes on state marshland.
The program includes many things park scientists have been doing for years to battle the Burmese import: outreach and hot lines for the public; studies of python movements, habits and threats to the ecosystem; and programs to design python traps and sexual scents that might be used to bait them.
But Salazar, who pledged to tackle the snake problem during his first visit to the Everglades in May, also vowed to seek more funding to expand efforts.
For instance, federal scientists are working with the University of Florida to develop drone aircraft with thermal imaging to pinpoint the difficult-to-detect snakes.
The park also might add to the dozen agents who have removed hundreds of pythons during the past few years, and will consider whether to expand the state's expert posse program into Everglades National Park.
One hurdle is a park prohibition against hunting. But the pilot program will open federal land in the Big Cypress, where seasonal hunting and guns are allowed. Because no laws protect python, there is technically nothing to prohibit properly licensed hunters from shooting them now, but the program would formalize the effort and data collection.
''We are committed to aggressively combating this threat, including having trained and well-supervised volunteers hunt down and remove snakes,'' Salazar said in a release.
Eradicating python will be difficult. Scientists say less than 5 percent of the estimated 100,000-plus snakes in the park are ever seen. Hunting alone likely won't do it. ''There is no one silver bullet,'' said Paul Souza, field supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Like using a squirt gun on a house fire.
The classic liberal response, "Throw money at the issue, that'll solve it."
“Paging Tony Lama, paging Tony Lama”
I suppose only steel shot will be allowed...
That particular Federal Agency might be the "Python Pu$$y Posse? ? ?
If they go after the biggest ones, that will affect breeding habits. They should destroy nests, too, if they can positively identify them.
There is no need for funding. There are thousands of us Floridians that are ready to go in and fix the problem, no charge, just unblock the regulations.
We need a ‘Python Czar’!!!
I wonder if people will eat them, like rattlesnakes. Could feed a lot of people.
SNAKES ALIVE! They’re spending again!
“For instance, federal scientists are working with the University of Florida to develop drone aircraft with thermal imaging to pinpoint the difficult-to-detect snakes.”
“Difficult-to-detect”, indeed! Trying to spot a cold blooded critter with thermal imagery, particularly when they are under the vegetation is probably beyond the ability of ParcMan.
PrcWoman is even worse, since one such ParcWoman could not even realize the significance of the testicles on a sedated cougar. ParcWoman, and the rest of the other four ParcPersons on that team also agreed - the sedated cougar was a written up in the capture report as being female.
ParcVet did no better - the report was signed Blankenship, DVM.
From Blankenship’s performance, we thus learn that stupidity is catching. One catches it from ParcPersons.
Hold onto your wallet, the nutcakes are in power.
PS Some of them ParcCakes is fruitcakes.
Anybody know if python is good to eat?
Perhaps an industry that produces shoes, wallets, belts and purses made of python skin could start in Clewiston or Immokalee.
Do they taste good?
As a kid me and my siblings encountered a python in the wild. It was one of the scariest moments of my life.
I hate snakes more than I hate Obama. That is saying something!
and "he'll walk 47 miles of barbed wire,
and use a python snake for a necktie"
with all due respect to Bo Diddley
Python is one huge muscle that strangles its prey. I have to think it is very tough and hard to cook and make tender enough to eat
Tastes like chicken
I heard they taste like chicken
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