Burmese Pythons Taking over the Florida Everglades
Burmese pythons taking over the Everglades
Karen Brown
COM/156
February 16, 2013
Tiffany Rodriquez
Burmese pythons taking over the Everglades Imagine taking a walk in the Florida Everglades. Now imagine that during that walk you come across a giant snake. In that snakes grip is a full-sized White-tailed deer. The two are battling it out, but the snake is clearly winning, it does not stand a chance against a full sized python. What could possibly be even worse than that would be a Burmese python battling an alligator and winning? It has happened even though the snake did not make it away from the fight. It looks like something out of a horror film and it is happening more than people might think. This giant snake is known as the Burmese python. While Burmese pythons are originally from Southeast Asia they have slowly been taking over the Florida Everglades consuming the native animals and causing an invasion.
The Florida Everglades are home to many types of reptiles due to its climate. The sub-tropical climate in Florida allows many types of reptiles to thrive. While most of those reptiles are native to Florida, some are not even from the United States. The Burmese python comes from Southeast
Asia. The snakes were imported to the United States to become pets. When the pythons would get so large the owners could not handle them anymore they are likely released into the wild.
Burmese pythons can grow to be as long as 6 meters( 20 feet) and weigh as much as 90( 200lbs) kg (Ernst & Zug 1996). Due to the large size of the Burmese python they have no natural enemy in the Florida Everglades to contain them. Burmese pythons were first discovered in the Florida
Everglades in 1979 and have been seen in many areas since then (Carla, Ray, Michael, & Frank,
2011). Hurricane Andrew blew into Florida in 1992 ravaging South Florida and destroying many things, including pet stores. Not only were they released by owners
Karen Brown
COM/156
February 16, 2013
Tiffany Rodriquez
Burmese pythons taking over the Everglades Imagine taking a walk in the Florida Everglades. Now imagine that during that walk you come across a giant snake. In that snakes grip is a full-sized White-tailed deer. The two are battling it out, but the snake is clearly winning, it does not stand a chance against a full sized python. What could possibly be even worse than that would be a Burmese python battling an alligator and winning? It has happened even though the snake did not make it away from the fight. It looks like something out of a horror film and it is happening more than people might think. This giant snake is known as the Burmese python. While Burmese pythons are originally from Southeast Asia they have slowly been taking over the Florida Everglades consuming the native animals and causing an invasion.
The Florida Everglades are home to many types of reptiles due to its climate. The sub-tropical climate in Florida allows many types of reptiles to thrive. While most of those reptiles are native to Florida, some are not even from the United States. The Burmese python comes from Southeast
Asia. The snakes were imported to the United States to become pets. When the pythons would get so large the owners could not handle them anymore they are likely released into the wild.
Burmese pythons can grow to be as long as 6 meters( 20 feet) and weigh as much as 90( 200lbs) kg (Ernst & Zug 1996). Due to the large size of the Burmese python they have no natural enemy in the Florida Everglades to contain them. Burmese pythons were first discovered in the Florida
Everglades in 1979 and have been seen in many areas since then (Carla, Ray, Michael, & Frank,
2011). Hurricane Andrew blew into Florida in 1992 ravaging South Florida and destroying many things, including pet stores. Not only were they released by owners
References: Birds consumed by the invasive burmese python (python molurus bivittatus) in everglades national park, florida, usa. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 123(1), 126-131. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/857254452?accountid=35812 Current Events, 111, 4-5. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/923278907?accountid=35812 ERNST, C. H. AND G. R. ZUG. 1996. Snakes in question. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C, USA. Identifying plausible scenarios for the establishment of invasive burmese pythons (python molurus) in southern florida. Biological Invasions, 13(7), 1493-1504. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9908-3 http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/15/3236485/pythons-not-floridas-only-invasive.html Pythonchallenge.org The Science Teacher, 79(3), 28-28,30,32. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1000411222?accountid=35812