Burmese Pythons Invasive Species

The invasive species, the Burmese Python has done irreparable damage to the Everglades National Park in Florida. A steady decline in mammals has been observed since the introduction of Burmese pythons occurred. Burmese pythons were first introduced into the United States as part of the pet trade which then led to the escape or intentional release out into the wild. The first notation of these species arriving was in the year 2000. However, within just eleven years this invasive species had done such a large amount of damage to Florida’s Ecosystem that many species had gone almost completely extinct.

The animals that were most severely affected by the pythons were racoons, which dropped by 99.3%, opossums which dropped by 98.9%, and bobcats dropping by 87.5%. One of the major key factors of these animals going extinct was that they were naive to being preyed upon. For example, if you have a species such as racoons who have adapted up to a certain point to stay alive but have never been threatened then the racoon would not develop an adaptation to keep from being hunted. The species may have adapted in order to become nocturnal but for a specific reason. If the

To try an prevent this from happening the Federal Government put a ban on the importation and selling of Burmese Pythons. However, it is unlikely for this to occur. If Burmese pythons were to encounter freezing temperatures this would be life threatening. Burmese pythons have trouble eating as well as digesting their food at temperatures below sixty degrees which makes it more likely for them to stay where warmer temperatures are common. An interesting question then occurs. Will a Burmese Python ever adapt to cooler temperatures or develop the adaptation to hibernate? This would have to occur in order for the python to leave its current