Mazzei, P. (2023, March 14). Pythons, Invasive and Hungry, Are Making Their Way North in Florida. Retrieved September 6th, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/14/us/pythons-florida-invasive-species.html
For over the last two decades Burmese pythons, an apex predator originally from South Asia, have been wiping out native species around the Everglades. Over time these pythons have made their way up north, and have been spotted in Naples and far west Miami. What’s concerning is the fact that these 10-16 foot pythons have greatly increased in population, and still little is known about their way of traveling, population, and life expectancy, ultimately troubling this difficult situation. To fix this situation the state has funded research and a yearly public Python Hunt. Also, many expansive projects are working to repress the Python population.
The Burmese python poses a huge risk to the health of the Everglades, and stopping its spread is vital to protect Everglade species and ultimately its ecosystem. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that the only species that pose a threat to these pythons are humans, so fortunately enough the state has taken action and hopefully the state will find success in restoring their ecosystems.
I totally agree that it is important to control the python species, they also pose a danger to small children and can interrupt the ecosystem. How can the research groups figure out where these pythons are coming from? This is a key aspect of stopping the spread and growth of this species. Can any civilian just hunt/kill the pythons when they see them?
I think you proposed a very interesting question. On another post, someone mentioned why some governments are funding the killings of keystone species and this is reason why. Python species are a keystone predator that are becoming invasive to their environment, so some governments can fund the killing of pythons to protect the environment better.