Canals: New Highways for Invasive Pythons

Engineers created extensive canal networks throughout South Florida to manage water and facilitate development. Decades later, these waterways have become unintended highways for invasive Burmese pythons, which are excellent swimmers and capable of tolerating both fresh and saltwater. This aquatic mobility allows them to easily traverse the landscape, turning urban fringes and natural areas into accessible territories.

Experts and python hunters note that the canals significantly aid the pythons' expansion, with snakes being discovered in backyards, alongside roads, and even in bays. Hunters describe canals as highways for the reptiles, facilitating their movement and increasing their presence in populated areas. This trend raises concerns about the species establishing populations in new locations, including the Florida Keys.

As pythons actively use canals for travel, particularly during their winter mating season when males search for females, their range continues to grow. University of Florida wildlife professor Frank Mazzotti advises the public to report sightings to the FWC's invasive species hotline, emphasizing that while catching them is challenging, removal and euthanasia are necessary to control the population.