Experts Devise Optimal Strategy to Curb Burmese Python Invasion in Florida Everglades

In the past few decades, Burmese pythons have taken over the Florida Everglades, posing a serious threat to the region's native wildlife. However, a new study published in Scientific Reports has provided hope that this invasive species can be brought under control.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, analyzed python removal data to identify the optimal conditions and locations for increased removals. The findings revealed that warm temperatures, especially during the wet season and late at night, significantly improve python capture surveys. Additionally, the researchers determined that the western edge of the Big Cypress National Preserve by the Tamiami Trail and Palm Beach County Stormwater Treatment Area 3/4 are the areas where more pythons can be removed.

Based on these insights, the researchers have recommended that the state of Florida concentrate its contractors, who are paid hourly, in these key areas from May to October, primarily during the 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. timeframe, and have them utilize aquatic vehicles. The study also found that a drop in barometric pressure from the previous day increases the likelihood of successful python surveys, while nighttime surveys are less successful if the mean daily air temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

The state of Florida has been actively working to combat the Burmese python invasion, with competitions that reward people for capturing and humanely killing the reptiles. Since 2000, more than 22,000 pythons have been eliminated from the state, though their population is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. The python invasion has had a devastating impact on the Everglades' native wildlife, with significant declines in the populations of raccoons, opossums, bobcats, marsh rabbits, cottontail rabbits, and foxes.