Invasive pythons of 200 pounds spread to the United States - and eradication "is not possible"
Snakes are wreaking havoc on local ecosystems and threaten to erase indigenous species.
Even with the apparently infinite number of plant and animal species that inhabit it, the natural world as we know it exists thanks to a delicate balance which helps to keep it in full swing. Unfortunately, this means that even small changes can start to upset or threaten the ecological stability of an area, whether due to climate change, the destruction of housing or the introduction of a Invasive species . And now officials warn that 200 pound pythons that are generally not found in the United States are starting to spread in even more areas. Read the rest to see why snakes pose such a serious problem - and why the experts say that eradication "is not possible" now.
Read this then: The way n ° 1 from preventing snakes from entering your toilet .
Invasive Burmese pythons spread to the United States after being introduced to the ecosystem.
Part of the beauty of nature is that each place generally houses unique plants and animals that have adapted to the conditions that help them prosper. But in Florida, an invasive species has wreaked havoc on ecosystems because it spreads in new areas: Burmese pythons.
In a recent report, US Geological Survey (USGS) scientists say that snakes have been Increase in number and threatening local fauna, according to The New York Times . Researchers say that some of the specimens taken in recent years have become heavier than 200 pounds and more than 15 feet, with evidence found in their digestive paths establishing a list of at least 76 prey species Mammals, birds and even alligators.
Non -native APEX predators have expanded their presence of swamps on the southern tip of Florida when they push further north In areas like Fort Myers and West Palm Beach. But the researchers also noted that reptiles are still expanding their new territory thanks to the unique terrain in Florida and tolerance to the increased cold which allows them to resist lower temperatures.
"Overall, the potential scope of the Burmese pythons are uncertain," wrote the team in the study.
Despite recent efforts, researchers now say that the eradication of the invasive snake "is not possible".
Officials noted the spread of invasive snakes since 2000, when former probable pets were released in the wild and began to reproduce, according to The New York Times . But the number of reported pythons continued to skyrocket in two decades which followed, compared to three at the start of the millennium at a height of 2,940 in 2020, according to state data.
However, the actual number of the snake population has been difficult to assess with precision and is probably much more extensive than estimated, which makes it more difficult to obtain a real understanding of the problem. "The extremely low individual python detection rates hamper our ability to estimate the abundance of the python and to extend control tools in the vast natural landscape". Kristen Hart , a research environmentalist at USGS and one of the perpetrators of the recent report, said in a press release.
In response to the growing threat of local ecosystems, Florida officials have launched an annual hunt for the public who use cash prices to encourage participants. Those who participate must first undergo training on how to locate and locate and euthanize the animals they recover. But despite the annual event, the slaughter will probably not be enough to slow down the propagation of the snake.
"The eradication of the entire population through the landscape is not possible with any existing tool, whether applied individually or in combination," wrote researchers in the report.
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Experts warn that reptiles will continue to spread unless something is done to slow them down.
The researchers point out that the gigantic reptiles constitute little threat to human security, the only reported human deaths linked to the captive pythons. But snakes remain a serious problem for the delicate ecosystems they now inhabit, in particular as medium -sized predators such as foxes, raccoils and opossums are driven out by invasive and removed species from the food chain.
"This means that the greatest predators lack a great source of food, and the things on which these little mammals feed will have a boom in the population", " Charles Van Rees , PHD, Conservation scientist and naturalistic At the University of Georgia, tells Better life . He also adds that specific species are particularly threatened, in particular an endangered rabbit found only in Florida which is "at risk of being suffocated by an excessive predation of this snake".
Unfortunately, the current trajectory of the problem means that pythons will continue to extend their territory. "If it is completely unmountained, it is very unlikely that it remains a problem of Florida," explains Van Rees.
Even if many have counted on colder winters in certain parts of the State to act as an important obstacle to their spread, he declares that problems such as climate change make temperatures much softer in areas in the north. "The problem will absolutely grow if we do nothing about it. And if eradication is no longer possible, intelligent investment at the moment can help prevent this problem from spreading."
Managers are trying new tactics to help control the population growth of the Python.
Due to the imminent ecological threat they represent, researchers are now trying new tactics to help slow the propagation of the snake in the region. A group of scientists is Use of GPS necklaces Attached to prey and male snakes to help locate women harder to find, The Guardian reported last month. And Florida officials launched a hotline that residents can use to report reproductive reptiles. But even if some finally hope to use more advanced tactics, there is no doubt that action is necessary. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
"I don't think there is a scenario in which nothing can be done," explains Van Rees Better life . "That said, all our solutions are now in a gray compromise area between the quantity of ecological integrity of Florida that we want to keep and how ready to spend to keep it. Managing the invasive species is extremely expensive and you Must do it forever. "
This probably means that the overall strategy should change. "If we cannot eradicate the pythons, then we have to start managing them," he said. "Can we keep them out of certain areas where we want to protect the key fauna? Can we keep their populations relatively low so that they do not fully annex our irreplaceable natural heritage? The worst case is nothing Doing and letting things continue because they are. "
