Burmese pythons in Fla; Human predation; what's your opinion?

[findi]

17.7 foot Burmese Python found in FLA; Biggest Burmese Python Found in Florida Burmese Python Nat History, human predation, my experiences in zoos Burmese Pythons in the Wild - the Natural History of a Giant Snake | That Reptile Blog. What's your opinion on the situation and law?
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[Tleilaxu]

That the whole mess is being blown way out of proportion especially when compared to other threats such as draining the water from the glades and invasive plants and mammals. I do think the pythons should be hunted and trapped but that opens up more damage on the glades as peeps trample about and shoot anything that moves. And certainly way to much blame is being placed on the pet industry.

 

[pitbulllady]

Everything that Tleilaxu said. Yes, it's a problem, but it's nowhere near the problem it's been made out to be, and I do not believe that the snake pose a direct risk to humans at all. Cases of giant constrictors killing humans in the US are limited to captive animals and all involve behavior on the part of a person, such as drunkenness, OR they are highly suspect that the snake was even the real culprit, especially in two incidences involving children. The pet industry has taken the full brunt for the snakes being in the Everglades, even though DNA testing has proven that every single Burm captured or killed has been closely related to all the others, suggesting ONE single release of a limited group of animals, so that now the population is experiencing an extreme genetic "bottleneck", with no new infusion of genetic material. All of the original animals have genetic markers that indicate on particular locale of Burms, from Vietnam. IF it were true that the population in the 'Glades was due to "irresponsible pet owners" dumping snakes that got too big or too aggressive, that would not be the case, but instead, there would be a population with genetic markers from the various locales from which the Pythons were being originally imported, and there would be different familial lines indicated, due to animals from different bloodlines being released at various intervals stretching over however many decades people have been keeping this species in the US as pets. The highly restricted gene pool does not support the "dumped pets" theory but does support a population that descends from a single release of related animals.

As far as the nationwide ban on interstate commerce/travel with this and several other species, it's pointless endeavor that will have absolutely NO impact one way or the other on the population of snakes in the Everglades, and the whole topic of "global warming" is a highly controversial one in and of itself, but it is highly unlikely that within the next thousand years that any habitat in the continental US outside of extreme southern Florida will meet the requirements needed for these highly tropical reptiles to thrive and reproduce. The entire ban was based on ONE report, written by two USGS "scientists", a report which has been widely criticized by the scientific community as a whole, which was NOT peer reviewed other than by one another. The action was done to appease the Animal Rights groups, who have a tremendous influence on policies in Washington, DC, and who now have several of their own current employees also working at top Federal levels. HSUS stated in their by-laws and Mission Statement following their reorganization and redirection in the 1980's that one of their ultimate goals was to eliminate the practice of breeding pets, and to eliminate the exotic pet and reptile industries entirely; they have utilized principals from Saul Alinski's "Rules For Radicals" to polarize animal owners against each other(as we have clearly seen demonstrated here on this forum), to demonize people and animals that they wish to eliminate, and to introduce emotionally "loaded" words into the common psyche that change people's perception of animals and animal ownership/use. Their strategy is two-fold; either convince people that a given practice involving animals is cruel and inhumane and therefore morally unacceptable, OR convince them that certain target animals are too risky and dangerous, and that people who keep such animals are also dangerous, and so keeping them is morally unacceptable on THAT basis, and the key to doing both is to make sure that the whole issue remains in the public spotlight and is not pushed aside. That means utilizing the media to downplay any positive and always, ALWAYS, put emphasis on the negative, even if it's not factually accurate.

pitbulllady

 

[Entomancer]

Frank, your post got messed up and the article links are missing.

 

[BrettG]

LOL,Florida has plenty of bigger problems.

 

[lizardminion]

The Burmese Python dilemma is the worst thing to happen to the U.S. reptile industry, and an example of how things could get worst.
It gave snake-keepers a bad name and helped provoke snake-hatred as a whole. Being harassed for owning a python, even though it is a ***BALL PYTHON*** because murderous "Burmese Python-condas" lurk in the Everglades and I contributed to this somehow and pose a risk to bringing such problem to Texas just about made the fool earn my fist in his face. Ignorance, and stupidity at it's worst. I can only imagine the sadness that afflicts gun hobbyist...

I think the concept of the survival of the fittest - or rather, smartest - should be reintroduced into human populations. Life would suck less that way.

 

[The Snark]

Let's get real for a moment. Eradicate the most damaging invasive species in the world, homo sapien, then check in on the Everglades in a million years and see how Ma Nature has realigned the program.

 

[Shrike]

Frank,

I enjoy your blog, but this post isn't doing it justice. I'm assuming whatever links you meant to include somehow got screwed up. Can you clarify? Thanks.

 

[lizardminion]

Let's get real for a moment. Eradicate the most damaging invasive species in the world, homo sapien, then check in on the Everglades in a million years and see how Ma Nature has realigned the program.

Don't try them; some have already started population-control programs. China is a great example of this. Now I do remember that some "communists" (liberals, progressives, etc) here in America have spoken of this before too.

I'd eradicate Felis silvestris catus populations from the Everglades and elsewhere, and force laws that require people to keep cats indoors or caged while cats outside and not restrained would be illegal.
(I do actually believe that should be law. It'd keep the cat as well as the environment safer. Loose cats- owned or not- would be impounded and/or euthanised. No exceptions.)

 

[findi]

Hi all,

Sorry about the link, here's one: http://bitly.com/OCgKtY; other is a widely circulated news story, hard to miss.

Thanks for the comments; The climate Change study cited above has largely been discredited, and is no longer a factor in professional circles. Unfortunately, Burmese pythons have killed people in "non-captive" situations within their native range. Obviously, this is a highly unusual event and would receive extra attention were it to happen here, but the possibility does exist. The genetic testing etc and bottleneck info is quite complicated, and not accepted as an assurance of animals' origins, ability to spread, etc. As for "numerous vs single release", I am certain that numerous releases have occurred (personal connections with importers, owners, zoo staffs, field herpetologists after 30+ years as a herpetologist, and in the private sector before that. Difficult situation, no easy answers unfortunately. Best, Frank