From United Press International
Scientists fear spread of Burmese pythons
Feb. 24, 2008 at 12:38 AM
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (UPI) — Scientists fear that Burmese pythons, already known to be breeding in South Florida, could spread through much of the southern United States.
Climate maps produced by the U.S. Geological Survey show the giant constrictors, native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, could find suitable temperatures in an area that includes the southeast as far north as Virginia, most of Texas and parts of the southwest and most of California, Science Daily reported.
The pythons would be likely to threaten endangered species. In Florida, they have even become involved in battles with alligators.
The U.S.G.S. said the affected area could extend significantly north by the end of the century if the climate warms.
Burmese pythons can grow to be more than 20 feet long with weights up to 250 pounds. The Everglades National Park determined in 2003 that there was a breeding population within its boundaries and pythons have also been found in Big Cypress National Preserve, Key Largo and other open areas in the region.
The pythons are popular pets. But many owners have bought small ones and released them when they grew too big to handle and too expensive to feed.
18’Burmese Python and Friends
Subject: Burmese Pythons I live in South Florida for the past 12 years and have studied nature in both areas of wildlife Land and Marine.
I am for saving all species, Florida Wildlife Commission has the attitude all species that was not indigenous to Florida must go, animal, plant or marine. I do agree if a species is truly harming the surrounding and wildlife than it should be controlled. There are species like the Burmese Pythons that are and can be a thread to other indigenous Florida species. They do eat rats and mice high on their diet, if they can eat a chicken or rabbits, small alligators and wildlife birds.
Like all predators the snakes go after the weak, old and dyeing and young. They are not eating machines, they do not continually eat. We as humans used to believe sharks and alligators were just eating machines and eat everything in site. We as humans tried to kill them off.
Snakes and Alligators can go months without eating, how long can humans go without eating.
Burmese Pythons should have a controlled population level as other native species as well. Just do not make them the bad guy when they are just trying to survive like all wildlife.
Put more study into this area instead of just KILL them all. This is the same for marine and plant life in Florida. Rethink killing off all species that are not indigenous to Florida. A great example is Peanut Island located in West Palm Beach FL. The island had tall Australian pines covered the island back in the early 2000’s. View the past pictures compared to the way it is today. It was a beautiful island they stripped down and made one little part of the island a park which is very nice with palm trees. Most of the island is now gone filling up with low level bushes and weeds.
The Park system spends a fortune of the public’s taxpayer’s money to removing the trees that added shade, places for birds and other animals to live. They were tall build to withstand hurricanes and stopped shoreline erosion which after the trees were gone more taxpayers money was spend building a break wall on the east side of the island to now stop island erosion.
Please use more study and knowledge before killing off every species that is not indigenous to Florida.
Because if you purely just care about Florida’s wildlife and nature land and marine life. You want to remove anything that is not indigenous to Florida just start with the worst indigenous species of all time. The species that has did more damage than all other species put together, that would be humans.
If we can find a way for us to live in harmony we should find a way for the other species to do as well.
That’s sad to hear what happened to Peanut Island. I’m glad I moved away before they devastated the island. You’re right about educating ourselves on snakes. Most of us see one and our thoughts are on killing it. Thanks for your informative message!
I love these animals. Yet, I don’t want one as a pet. I think there are truly domesticated animals, and wild animals. The Burmese python is a wild animal. One that belongs in the WILD. Though, zoos are fine so long as they provide the animal with all it needs; and for educational purposes.
Just think what that animal could do to a strong 250 pound human, much less a child! Then think about the average pet owner in the US of A! At that point, you might get the point. Yes, these snakes are beautiful,; as all of nature truly is! No, you don’t want one as a pet. The costs are extreme (well beyond the acquisition of the animal) in both fiduciary and physical terms.
Go Tammy! These pythons are beautiful animals who are the center of many misconceptions. Education is the cure for ignorance; please take time to find the truth. If one spent any time at all with a burmese python, or any large python or boa for that matter, one would understand that they are not the scary monsters they are widely perceived as.
i think you all need to rethink, these are living breathing creatures and if it weren’t for snakes all you homes would be over run with rats,mice and other pests. i happen to have own many large snake i live in Florida and i never let my snakes get loose and when i did have to get rid of them due to person situations i did it responsibly. however there are idiots out there who just turn them loose so yes i believe laws need to change as to who can own 1 and everyone should have to register the animal but i do not think the animal should be held responsible if these were dogs everyone would be having a fit that they are being put down but because everyone is ignorant about snakes they think kill first ask questions later. its bullshit!!! lynn, as with all animals yes it can be dangerous but you should be more fearful of typical animals than that snake believe me shes more afraid of you than you are of her. snakes do not seek out and hunt humans contrary to what holly wood would have you believe. if you are afraid than do research you will find i am right and if you have questions i will do my best to help you answer them
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ooooout…
IS ONE BIG SNAKE…
good!
that is one BIG SNAKE
I live in the Houston area and have never seen one…..take heart they make great shoes and boots. This way there will no high import fee to get from their native Southeast Asia. Hey harvest them….let hunters take them. Rattle snake is tasty, maybe they are too if not make the meat into pet food.
I like your attitude – maybe they do make good boots! Seems the biggest problem is boa constrictors, there was another news report on CNN just yesterday about these big dog eaters: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/03/30/python.patrol/?iref=mpstoryview
yep i agree it is kinda scary i live in kansas ive never seen a python in the wild here yet but i have family down south and they said that yep theres pythons and they are huge now im kinda scared to go down there to see my family i have a phobia of snakes
I belive that because here in Ironton Missouri where they aren’t sopost to be in the wild. I walked out side on summer day and incountered one maybe bigger than that one. Solid black on top with a yellow and orange speckled belly. Its head looked like a foot ball, and its body was bigger. I can’t even find one on the net that looks like it. I live out on a highway in the country with 70 acres. Neibors don’t own any. So yea, some can with stand the winters some how, and are growing big. The skary thing is I have seen another smaller one the same color, half as long just not as thick. So I wonder if they breed with other snakes, are someone let a pregant one lose and it lived, and they adapted. Personaly who ever had the first one needs shot, because now i’n not sure I want to live here any more. I am skard when my kids even go out. I wonder how many are out there, and I think they are really smart not to be seen so far.