The Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) is one of the five largest snake species in the world with an average length of 3.7m and a weight of up to 90 kg. With a natural distribution in Southern and Southeast Asia, this snake has become a successful invasive species in Southern Florida, with a large ecological impact.
They are a severe threat to the native wildlife in this region, especially to the fragile ecosystem of the Everglades National Park. This extremely important tropical wetland ecosystem has seen massive decreases in numbers of several of its species such as raccoons (99.3%), opossums (98.9%) and bobcats (87.5%) since 1997.
Furthermore, two species of rabbits, the marsh and cottontail, as well as foxes have now disappeared from this region. Proof that the pythons are behind these decreases, is the fact that these species have been found regularly in the stomachs of Burmese pythons.
Mammals are not the only species at risk in the Everglades. Twenty-five different bird species were found in the pythons’ stomach content, four of which are endangered in the region. Among these are the wood storks and limpkins.
American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) are also at risk as they are the direct competitors of the Burmese Python. However, they can also become its prey if the snake is big enough. This alligator species is considered a keystone species, species that significantly alter and maintain their habitat. These ecosystem engineers, through their “alligator holes” become homes to aquatic animals that would otherwise die during the dry season. Their disappearance would affect many other species which would suffer a loss of food, habitat and water.
The financial damage that the Burmese pythons cause while preying on various species of wildlife, has been calculated in 2007 at roughly $83,892 for one snake/ year. With an estimation of minimum 10000 individuals, the total value of lost wildlife would be $838,920,000 in one year. This staggering amount together with the money spent in fighting this invasive species could be invested instead in insuring a better protection of these vulnerable habitats.
One other risk is the safety of Everglades visitors. Although currently not common, these attacks could become more frequent in the future, especially if the numbers of Burmese pythons continue to increase. All five recorded incidents where unprovoked attacks in which the snake had the intention of killing its victim as they started to constrict after it had struck.
Different methods such as traps, scent dogs as well as “thermal energy remote sensing by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)” have been tried in combating this species. All of them proved inefficient. Furthermore, biological control methods such as viruses or parasites have been considered. However, this method was dismissed to the risks it may possess to other species.
The only method that has resulted in the capture of 68 snakes in 2013, was an event called the “Python Challenge” that took place over a month. During this period, all members of the public over the age of 18 were allowed to hunt pythons and compete for cash prizes. Compared with the trapping method that used 60 different traps of several design and caught only three individuals, this event has been a resounding success. It appears that such organized hunting events are the best way to combat this invasive species. These may also prove cheaper than other methods and would also help spread information about the vital importance of protecting endangered ecosystems such as the Everglades. Spreading public awareness and involvement would also decrease the number of exotic animals that are released into the wild by careless owners. Humans have shown their effectiveness in hunting species to extinction many times over. This would be a perfect case when such skills could be put to good use in preserving the nature and not destroying it.