Florida pythons--scary

Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

Well-known member
ficNew study on pythons and other exotic snakes in Florida shows declines of more than 90% in populations of some mammal species. This scares the crap out of me. I'm not afraid of snakes, but this sounds like it has the potential to completely change the Everglades ecosystem.

They did their survey by counting road kill of various species before and after pythons came into South Florida.

From the study:

The university and federal scientists who conducted the study found that the most severe declines in mammals appear to have occurred in the remote southernmost regions of the park, where pythons have been established the longest. In this area, observations of raccoons dropped 99.3 percent, opossums 98.9 percent and bobcats 87.5 percent. Marsh and cottontail rabbits, as well as foxes, were not seen at all in recent years, despite having been present in the 1990s.


Link to USGS page on the study here:

http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/the-big-squeeze-pythons-and-mammals-in-everglades-national-park/?from=title


Check out the photo of a python swimming across salt water, snapped by a fishing guide in Islamorada--scary stuff.

Thank goodness I live where it's cold.
 
Yep, snakeskin boots need to get more popular with designers so there is a demand for lots and lots of big dead snakes. It's amazing how well they are doing there.

Tim
 
I know that the US Fish and Wildlife is presently working on making sure that know more imports of these exotic snakes will come to the United States. As far as ridding the Everglades, I don't know if that is humanly possible considering the terrain that you must deal with. I guess they could put a bounty on the snakes where it would give enterprising young men and women a chance to make a few bucks. I like what Tim said the best. Need to push cowboy boots made with hides from boa's----only Everglade boa's by the way.
Jeff, this is of major concern to all of us and I hope that something can be done about it. Reminds me of the flying carp in the river systems in Illinois.
Al
 
Unfortunately, I think USFWS is about 10 years--or maybe 50--too late. Closing the barn door after the horse is gone, I'm afraid.
 
The extreme freezes over the last (2) two years (2009/2010 - 2010/2011) have really knocked their populations back on the smaller constrictors.

Prior to that there were even sightings here in central Florida by night time gator hunters.

Even bought a Taurus Judge to take care of any we may run across.

No reported sightings during the past (2) two seasons now in the Upper St Johns (though several have been caught along the residential beachside canals).

The guys down in south Florida are reporting fewer sightings of the smaller snakes but the big breeders are alive & well.

A couple of mild winters like the one (2011/2012) we are having now & their populations will bounce right back.

Along with the iguanas, nile monitor lizards, rock pythons, black mambas & the assorted other envasive species from the pet trade.
 
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usa today had a front page article about that. briefly read it this am, something like 1700 were KILLED by the DNR/etc. and still no real dent. NO racoons at all, NO rabbits....damn, pretty efficient hunters to be taking those down. Also lynx are down, talking about panthers/gaters too.

damn exotics...when will humans learn.
 
Even though importation has finally stopped, the reptile farms down here are still pumping out large volumes of these snakes & lizards.

Most collectors don't even have their collections registered with Fish & Game.

When we come across them @ work (police dept) we inquire if the collection is licensed.

If not, a call goes out to animal control & FWC for a follow-up visit!!!


From West Palm south, you can't spit w/o hitting an iguana.

Sure, they are fun to watch until they eat your flower beds down to the roots!!!

We even have a population of them here in Palm Bay along the river front.

Chiclids, snakeheads, tilapia thrive down here now & it's all from the unregulated pet trade.

We even have resident populations of lionfish from the Bahamas to Port Canaveral.

You can no longer safely lobster dive in many locations for fear of being stung.

Many fish pop's along the reefs are disappearing due to these fish being such ravanous eaters.

They are even sponsoring "Lionfish Rodeo's" during lobster season in the Keys during mini season.

We caught (12) twelve last season & didn't even make the Top 10!!!

Until USFWC allows unrestricted hunting of snakes in these areas like the lionfish (which they do not allow for the snakes), their populations will over run The Glades & The Keys.
 
Given the fact that pythons dont really resemble any native snake, I dont understand why they have any restriction on hunting them.
Make them a non-game animal, allow the sale of the skins to leather makers and you will instantly create a market for guided hunt!
 
Given the fact that pythons dont really resemble any native snake, I dont understand why they have any restriction on hunting them.
Make them a non-game animal, allow the sale of the skins to leather makers and you will instantly create a market for guided hunt!
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It's because of where a majority of them exist.

Many areas are "off limits" to motorized vehicles like airboats & marsh buggies.

USFWS offers a token permitted season on them & they have to be killed "humanely" by lethal injection!!!

No shiating you here!!!


As far as a skin market, at this point & time there is none.

Before the world bubble burst, we were getting $35.00 dollars a foot for an alligator.

Since 2009, "hunters" are having to pay the processors to butcher the gator & the skins have no value.

I know of (2) two reptile/processor farms, one which had been in business since 1956 shutter their doors & sold off what animals they had because the hides no longer have value.

If they would have continued just for the meat, they would have just broke even or lost money.

Sadly, it wasn't worth them staying open!!!
 
I've got to think that a targeted effort to hunt/snare/trap large breeding females could be pretty effective, if enough money could be thrown at it, or if a market for the skins could be developed. When we put our minds to eliminating gators, we came damn close to getting it done--and it was a less-temperature sensitive species living in the same kind of habitat.
 
if enough money could be thrown at it,
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Hence the problem.

No money!!!

The first step was to stop the importation.

The next is to shut down the breeding facilities here in the United States.

The final step is to have a "real" hunt where they open up these areas to a "unrestricted", limited season for several months of the year.

The first set of permits went to licensed guides to see how effective the hunts would be.

Some say it was "marginal" @ best which I believe only (17) seventeen snakes caught.

When most folks run up on them whether fishing in the Glades or warming themselves @ night atop the asphalt, most don't hestitate to speed up & "take'em out!!!"

Just last spring (2) two ran out in front of the truck while on our way to fish Flamingo.

Now those were speed bumps!!!
 
I have to correct you on something you said Jeff. "In south Florida you can't spit without hitting an Iguana". I just now went out and spit and did not hit one...missed him by 4 inches.
 
I have to correct you on something you said Jeff. "In south Florida you can't spit without hitting an Iguana". I just now went out and spit and did not hit one...missed him by 4 inches.
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I see your aim hasn't improved!!! lol
 
If the DNR wants them gone so bad,I don't understand why they just open season them and treat them like Wis DNR did with the CWD deer herd.Damn near open season to eradicate them
 
If the DNR wants them gone so bad,I don't understand why they just open season them and treat them like Wis DNR did with the CWD deer herd.Damn near open season to eradicate them
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CLASSIC!! I think there is still a gun season in somewhere in the state??
 
If money needed to eradicate them is a problem then the state should place an exotic sales tax on all exotic pets sold and use that money to wipe the bastards out in the wild. Put a bounty on them and give hunters access to them. They should regulate ownership and require licenses and fees to keep them. The owners and dealers have created this mess. Tax the shit out of them and clean up their mess. They never will do it on their own.

Eric
 
Where they are the most common...where the problem is the worst is in the Everglades National Park. They will not let hunters in there to help with the problem. I will be riding bikes with my family in the ENP on Saturday. If I see a pythion I will be more than happy to kill it...I just won't be allowed.
 
They found a 15' python with a 80lb doe inside' that could have been someones kid at that size .I read where they want to pay 1 dollar a foot . Unless i can find a nest of em ,1 buck a foot seems like a waste of time.
 
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