The invasive Burmese python is expanding its range in Florida, raising concerns among experts about the long-term impacts on the state's environment and biodiversity.
What's happening?
According to Gulf Coast News, Burmese pythons have been found in northern Florida along the state's Gulf Coast, with more frequent sightings beyond the Everglades.
A Charlotte County resident captured an almost-12-foot-long python near their home, a sign that they're moving beyond the wilderness as well.
"I think we can expect to see pythons continuing to increase their range naturally, slowly," Andrew Durso, a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, told the outlet. "I also think we can expect to see more populations pop up in areas that have a lot of human traffic."
A snake trapper named Seth theorized to Gulf Coast News that the pythons have begun expanding their territory because "they're either running out of food or looking for new food, or the population's just growing so big that they just start spreading out."
Why are Burmese pythons concerning?
Burmese pythons were introduced to Florida through the exotic pet trade, with the National Park Service marking 1979 as the date of the first recorded removal of the species.
Since their arrival, they have established a breeding population that competes with native species and disrupts the delicate natural ecosystem of the Everglades.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that declines in several mammal species in the region, such as raccoons and marsh rabbits, have been linked to the snakes.
With fewer of those mammals and other species available, mosquitoes can run rampant, increasing the risk of mosquito-borne diseases in humans.
Burmese pythons also have no natural predators in the state outside of humans, meaning they can expand unchecked and outcompete native species.
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What mosquitoes? 😎 They have notoriously indiscriminate eating habits. This threatens the Everglades, which not only supports wildlife and plants but also the people who rely on the landscape for livelihoods and native practices.
They pose a threat in the rare instance that they attack or bite humans, too. They also prey on house pets, such as cats and dogs, making them a growing concern as they encroach closer to communities outside the Everglades.
What's being done about Burmese pythons?
Snake trapper Seth advised against engaging with Burmese pythons if they are spotted near a home or in the wild, and he recommended calling in experts to safely remove them from the area.
Florida also hosts an annual Python Challenge in which participants can trap and humanely kill as many Burmese pythons as possible for cash prizes.
Researchers have also been working with contractors who hunt the snakes to determine population patterns and explore ways to reduce the invasive population even further.
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