The Florida Everglades is currently been invaded by a predator not native to this land. This South-East Asian predator is taking over the land by competing with the native animals for space and food.
These invaders are putting in danger all the endangered species in the Florida Everglades and in the process possibly bringing diseases with them (PBS, 2010).
Over the years many big animal warehouses had been hit hard by hurricanes (Scicchitano, 2010) and thanks to that the Burmese Python population they had in captivity escaped. Also starting as pets, the Burmese pythons have been release into the wild by their owners, who do not know what to do with them after these pets got too big to handle (In Brief., 2009). These owners are either scare due to the size of these snakes or cannot afford the bill to feed them. And in some cases, these snakes have brought tragedy to their owners by killing a family member (CBS, 2009).
After the Burmese pythons get release into the wild, they have started to breed and since they have no natural predators their population has been exponentially increasing corroding the natural habitat that exists in the Florida Everglades. The Florida Everglades, currently two and a half square miles of animal reserve, host about 36 species that are protected by the federal government who are also put in danger of extinction due to the problem (PBS, 2010).
This issue usually starts when a person goes to an exotic pet shop and buys a Burmese Python snake, usually as long as 20 inches long (PBS, 2010). Once these people get them in their homes these predators start growing and require bigger portions of food.
In only a few years, these pythons could reach a size between 11 to 12 feet long, weighing about 200 pounds (PBS, 2010). It reaches a point when these snakes become unmanageable for their owners and they have no other choice but to set them free. Also, the collections of this predators that big animal warehouse have collected over the years have scape because these warehouses got hit hard by hurricanes (PBS, 2010).
These predators then end up in the Florida Everglades were the environment is really close to their native home of South East Asia. Been that this is the ideal environment, they reproduce and since they have no natural predators, their numbers grow exponentially.
Currently, there may be tens of thousands of Burmese Pythons roaming in the Florida Everglades (PBS, 2010). The Burmese Pythons then eat the local wildlife like other snakes, frogs, pigs, deer, and alligators among others (CBS, 2009). This is a serious problem because these predators put in danger all 36 endanger species that currently live in the Florida Everglades (PBS, 2010).
The living and non-living factors that contribute to the Burmese Pythons been in the Florida Everglades as well as who is affected by these predators comes from various sources.
The living contributing factor that plays an important role in this problem is the sales and distribution of Burmese Pythons. About 12,000 shipments of wildlife arrive in Miami every year. Among these shipments, in the last four years we have received 140,000 pythons (PBS, 2010). These predators get sold to people that in a few years are unable to take care of these animals.
Because they get too big, too expensive to feed, or get too dangerous to have, they get release into the wild. Also the big warehouses that hold these shipments of animals thanks to the frequent hurricanes in Florida they get destroy (PBS, 2010). Since these building are destroy, all these animals scape free into the wild.
Upon looking at the non-living contributing factors we find that the Florida Everglades itself plays a major role. The two and a half square miles of animal preserve is a prefect haven for the Burmese Python.
Since the Florida Everglades has the same characteristics and climate as the South-East Asian native habitat of these predators, this habitat becomes a real Club Met for the Burmese Python (PBS, 2010). The natural wetlands of the Florida Everglades become a great way of travel since the Burmese Python can swim about six miles without stopping (PBS, 2010).
And since the Burmese Python does not have any natural predator in the Florida Everglades, they have a wide open menu to all the animal species they can eat. So as you can see they have an ample supply of food, the perfect home, climate, and environment to live.
As you can see the Florida Everglades has a big problem that primarily affects the 36 species that are federally protected. The endangered species, prior to the invasion of the Burmese Python, were enjoying the protection of the Florida Everglades (PBS, 2010). Now all of these endangered species are in danger of extinction by the increase population of these predators.
Eventually we all will be affected because the natural balance of the Florida Everglades thwarted. Every animal plays an important part in the big circle of life and if we lose all these animals to the invasion of the Burmese Pythons then we are looking serious environmental implications.
As you can clearly see there is no positive human impact to this problem. This issue negatively impacts humans because these predators are a corrosive factor that could eventually kill each of the 36 endangered species currently living in the Florida Everglades.
Since their numbers keep increasing there will be more cases where these predators will come into the suburbs and possibly cause not only traffic accidents but there could be an increase in animal related attacks.
A solution needs to be reach to control the overpopulation of the Burmese Python in the Florida Everglades. The strategy implemented needs to be sustainable so we can continue controlling the overpopulation of these predators.
I believe that at this point it will be impossible to completely eradicate these snakes from the Florida Everglades but if we are able to control their numbers then our battle is won. In order to accomplish this, a couple of programs need to be put in place and well as tougher laws.
The plan that I propose to handle this issue in a sustainable way requires the support of everyone. Here are the steps required to resolve the problem of the Burmese Python invading the Florida Everglades.
| Action Items
(in correct order) |
Action Steps | Timeline |
| Create and enforce tougher law for animal warehouses. | Petition law makers of the importance for the animal warehouse to protect their buildings and make them accountable if something happens. Bring signed petition. Creating of a law is imperative. | 1 – 12 Months |
| Grant Burmese Python hunting license. | Petition the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to give unlimited amounts of hunting licenses to help kill as many Burmese Pythons as possible (The Associated Press, 2009). | 1 – 3 Months |
| Create an organization that will explorer the Everglades killing all Burmese Pythons found. | Petition for the creating of a government organization under the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that will periodically search and kill these predators. | 1 – 12 Months |
| Ban Burmese Pythons sales without a license. | Petition the US government to prohibit sales of these predators without a license. | 1 – 12 Months |
| Create a law that requires a license in order to have a Burmese Python. | Petition the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to require an owner’s license to own a Burmese Python. | 1 – 6 Months |
| Require a Burmese Python class in order to obtain a Burmese Python license. | Petition the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to require a Burmese Python class to obtain an owner’s license. | 1 – 6 Months |
| Register all Burmese Pythons owned. | Petition the US government to require registration of the Burmese Pythons for all license owners. | 1 – 6 Months |
| Set drop-off locations for owners that cannot keep their Burmese Pythons. | Petition local government to set drop-off locations for those owners that cannot keep their pet Burmese Python. | 1 – 3 Months |
| Offer a bounty for every Burmese Python killed. | Petition the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to set a bounty for every Burmese Python killed. | 1 – 2 Months |
| Create an international law that helps prevent the trafficking of Burmese Pythons. | Petition the US government to create a law that protects us against the trafficking of Burmese Pythons. | 1 – 12 Months |
The challenges to my plans are not many. It involves hard work and dedication in order to obtain the petitions necessary to bring it to local law makers. Also the time required to locate and talk to all the necessary people that could pass laws. No counting the time necessary to make the issue publicly known. Also this plan requires funding in order to create all the programs necessary. Finally in the creating of the organization, it will require staff, which would be ideal if this staff could be federal staff.
The benefits of my plan will be the control of the population of Burmese Pythons in the Florida Everglades. This will bring the protection all each of the 36 endangered species currently living the Florida Everglades. The protection of the untouched natural beauty of the Florida Everglades, which all will collaborate to the resolution of this worldwide environmental issue.
The support require for my plan would mainly come from the implementation of laws and their enforcement by government agencies. I believe that without their support this plan would not work.
The global support is also important in helping control the trafficking of these animals to areas they do not belong. But finally the great support comes from society by educating ourselves about the issue so we can help in prevent the natural disaster that this problem could possibly cause.
As you can see from the paper, the Florida Everglades invasion of the Burmese Python is a serious environmental issue that needs to be handled immediately. Not handling this issue could bring serious environmental implications not only to locals but to the world.
References
In Brief. (2009). Alternative Journal Vol. 35 Issue 6, p4-6 http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=45177027&site=ehost-live.
CBS. (2009, July 27). Pythons Invade The Everglades. Retrieved from YouTube CBS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjaM7wBWWoc
PBS. (2010, February 21). Invation of Giant Pythons. Retrieved from PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/invasion-of-the-giant-pythons/video-full-episode/5565/
Scicchitano, P. (2010, May 18). Burmese pythons prosper in Everglades, though chilly winter reduced their number. Retrieved from The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/17/AR2010051703119.html
The Associated Press. (2009, November 3). Florida: Wild Pythons Are Caught. Retrieved from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/us/04brfs-WILDPYTHONSA_BRF.html
Dear admin, thnx for sharing this blog post. I found it wonderful. Best regards, Victoria…
Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I will continue writing.
This is not accurate science. At the most basic level, the picture is of a ball python (python regius) which only reaches 4-5 feet in length and resides in Africa. The burmese python is an entirely different species of snake from a different locale. To find up to date information on the python’s presence in Florida, you can watch the Nat Geo Wild show Python Hunters on July 12, 2010.
Thank you so much for your observation. I have made the changes. I will be watching that show. thanks
I watched the NatGeo show last night and was quite disturbed by the hunters seeming desire, fueled by their love of the snakes, to somehow justify the Burmase Python’s presense in the Everglades. I parapahrase but their comments range from Sentimentality ” I just want to let them go” rationalization “the could be good mid-range predators’ ( ignoring the that they are Apex Predators by definition), stalling “we need more science to decide if we need to eradicate them” false eqivocations ” we have iguanas and other invasive spacies why the big problem with 15 foot Apex preditors” It was so enraging to see these snake lovers crave the presense of Pythons in Florida. These are the guys we have hired to take care of the problem. Exotic pet dealers (surely the scum of the earth_ faux ‘biologists’ stating over and over how magnificent the animals are and just some Jungle Jim phoney tough guy creep. I am writing the congressional representiatives from Florida to ask them to review these “Python Hunters’ and to see that we actually get a commitment to eradication, not baloney science that serves to perpetuate this invasive species presense in Florida.
Thank Mark…
I would have to agree with you! This will certainly account for why we are having a hard time resolving this issue. Our leaders should look into these people and evaluate if they are resolving the matter or adding to the problem.
People do not realize the magnitude of the problem that exist when an invasive non-predatory species has on an environment that is not their own.
These are predators!
You have seen the pictures online of these snakes eating alligators.
We have predators eating other predators!
That should give anyone an idea of what we have here, but people put a blind eye to the problem.
Thank you so much for your insightful comment and I am glad you enjoy my writing.
i think that u guys should take the pythons out before they have a chance to to take over the other little animals in the area if not then after taking out all the species in the everglades then they r going spread more into the country then going to other states and from that point they will probably be in top of the food chain as u can see im 13 i realy don’t want the pythons to be the dominate predator of the southern part of the U.S nation so please do something to stop this im from California so this is my point we should go to war
does anybody know what you have to do to be able to catch or hunt burmese pythons in florida i would like to try it seeing as i breed them
Dear Mike
In regards to the evergrowing problem of large snakes in the Everglades….I have an idea though it has probably been thought of before. Anyway….if it maybe somehow possible to contol their breeding such as with poison or some sort of birth control it may help. Though Im not certain how it could be done but it may be an idea for some of the researchers to explore if it hasnt already been done. Just my thoughts on the situation.
Frank