The Importance Of Invasive Species In Florida

Have you ever seen a snake that can grow up to 23 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds? If you have, then you have seen a Burmese python. These pythons can grow to be the width of a sycamore tree branch. They are native to Southeast Asia, but due to bad ownership, they are now roaming the Everglades, unbalancing the ecosystem. The Burmese Pythons are negatively affecting the Everglades by disrupting the food chain, causing an unsafe sport, and they are growing exponentially.

The Burmese python has become a predatory species in the Florida Everglades. The Burmese Python has slowly been taking over the Florida Everglades eating small animals and causing massive destruction. The reason for this problem is the growth rate of the species occurring all over the Everglades. The ecosystem is perfect for the ever growing population of Burmese pythons in the Everglades. Pythons have migrated to the Florida Everglades by irresponsible pet owners and escaping from their homes.

What is 23 feet long and weighs up to 200 pounds. Burmese pythons,these pythons are taking over the everglades and drawing novices to hunt them from all over. They are affecting the everglades negatively,we need to do something about this now.

Burmese Pythons are invasive reptiles that are eating various wildlife of the Everglades, whether its prominent or endangered species. In order to successfully control this growing population, scientists will need to do extensive research, plan a course of action, and execute it with the use of proper funds. This includes an abundance of plans that control or kill the population before the issue gets out of hand.

As previously stated, overpopulation is a big problem too. With so many of them in the Everglades, their food sources numbers are declining. But this is the outcome of previous python owners being “downright stupid” and purchasing a pet snake “without researching anything” about the python. (EcoEchoes, page 47, Paragraph 3) The outcome usually ends with the owners letting them go into the wild. Resulting in its overpopulation in the Everglades.

Humans have caused another extinction, one that could possibly take us down in the process, species are exponentially going extinct because of habitat loss, species exportation, and invasive species bullying native species. On the other hand, scientists are trying to safe guard native species, keep animals in captivity whether it be for the animals well-being or for research, and widespread invasion. In this essay I will be comparing and contrasting “What Everglades Pythons and Other Invasive Species are Trying to Tell Us,” by Julia Whitty and “The Sixth Extinction,” by Jeff Corwin.

The Burmese Python is one of many invasive species. These snakes are native the Southeast Asia. They were imported to the U.S. for pet trade. However, people who own these snakes sometimes don't realize they can grow up to 22ft and weigh up to 200 pounds. The size of these snakes prohibits them from being appropriate pets. As a result these animals are released into the wild. Not only does this affect the ecosystem, but it also affects the mammal and bird populations. In the

Scientist fear that huge 250 pound Burmese Pythons could spread from South Florida to much of the Southern United States. According to a survey report, pythons find ⅓ of the United States to be comfortable for them to spread. Snakes such as Burmese Pythons have shown to be highly adaptable. These snakes can slither at a constant rate of 20 miles, and they never stop moving. The Burmese Python have killed children who were mistaken for food and are unable to stop their instinctive reaction to coil and squeeze. However, Burmese Pythons will have to get past Florida’s alligators first. The absence of predators such as alligators can make these snakes’ journey much easier.

Burmese pythons are an invading species that are causing problems to the local animal population, the local ecosystems, and the people in the area of Florida’s Everglades. These snakes are one of the biggest snakes in the world and grow up to be twenty three feet long and weigh up to two hundred pounds. They are able to hunt in the dark due to the chemical receptors on their tongues and heat sensors all over their jaw. This is bad for humans, as we cannot see very well in the dark. This can cause the snake to see us, but us not be able to see them. Without natural predators, these animals are lean, mean killing machines that can destroy many populations of animals and stand as a threat to humans.

Burmese Pythons is a non-native pest in the United States of America, which originated from South Asia. The species is becoming an established breeding population in South Florida and its environs. The python was illegally freed in the Everglades National park where the marshy grasses and water provide a conducive environment for its survival. Burmese python was recognized as a reproducing population around the year 2000. The python has been classified as an invasive species in Florida. The species has disrupted the ecosystem by preying on native species and out-competing them for food. The python is a successful invasive species because their large size makes it have fewer predators (alligators and humans) (Brown, 2006). Efforts have been put in place to manage the increase of the Burmese pythons due to the devastating effects it has caused in the ecosystem. Python removal and control is being done through dogs and human search. Dog search has recorded much greater success than human beings because humans cannot access some areas due to the thick vegetation.

The Burmese Python is one of the most invasive of these non-native species. The snakes originate from Southeast Asia, so they thrive in Florida’s similar environment. The Everglades became sort of a paradise to the pythons, since their introduction in the early 1990’s.

There are many different efforts in place to slow the population growth of the Burmese python. Due to the overwhelming amount of the non-native pythons in the Everglades (which is expanding to the Florida Keys and beyond) there has been a ban on Burmese pythons and 3 other constrictor snakes. On January 17, 2012 the Federal Wildlife service declared a ban on overseas imports of the snakes as well as interstate imports. That means the snakes are now illegal to bring into the United States as well as just transporting over state lines (BIG snakes, 2012). Although there is now a ban in place some feel that it is already too late to save the Florida Everglades. According to Steven A. Williams, former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) warns that invasive species are "the number one environmental threat to the United States."(BIG snakes, 2012) The federal government has spent billions of dollars trying to slow or stop the threat of invasive species.

My research on the python has lead me to the conclusion of the labeling of the Burmese python as an invasive species. This organism is a key stone species of Burma Asia. Though in the past few years some where located in everglades of Florida. We believe that some people brought a python back from a trip and thought it would be cool to have as an exotic pet, but then realized the dangers and released it into the wild The species rapidly grew and began to compete with other native species in the area to survive. One of the native species the python is competing with is Florida's known alligators.

When animals are voluntary or involuntary let into the wild many native species can become threatened by animals that, in the foreign ecosystem, have no natural predators. Pythons in Florida is a great

Invasive Burmese pythons have been a problem in the southern part of the United States of America. The Burmese Python has been a problem in Florida as it was imported here outside of its natural habitat. The Burmese Python is native to Southeast Asia. in its Native environment, it is considered to be vulnerable to extinction. In america, it thrives in the everglades. The Burmese python is something people should be concerned about in the southern united states