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How has a Burmese python arrival impacted native populations
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In recent years, invasive species have become a significant concern to ecologists in many ecosystems around the globe. Specifically, the explosive of non-native Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in the Florida Everglades has become a major concern among ecologists and the general public alike. While it is generally accepted that this population has stemmed from the escape of these snakes from the exotic pet trade (Pyron et al., 2008), and that the snakes have been able to flourish due to the climatic similarities between South Florida and their native regions of subtropic Southeast Asia, scientists are still trying to determine exactly how the python population in the Everglades has managed to become so successful, which is being done by …show more content…
Despite there being an average of more than one million visitors to Everglades National Park each year, there have only been five unprovoked attacks on humans reported between 2006 and 2012 (Reed and Snow, 2014.) Each of these attacks were on scientists who were looking for these snakes in remote areas of the park, and all were thought to have been cases of “mistaken identity,” where the snake identified the humans as potential prey items. Only two of these attacks led to the victims being hospitalized, and none of these attacks progressed to constriction or serious injury (Reed and Snow, 2014.) All other reported attacks on humans were provoked, and occurred when the humans were either trying to capture the snake or was otherwise provoking the snake to strike. Despite this extremely low number of unprovoked attacks, the media often portrays these snakes as a much greater threat to human safety than they actually are. While this heightened level of public concern over the pythons is not necessarily detrimental, the public concern about these snakes is certainly misplaced. It will likely prove useful, however, for ecologists to have the backing of the public when trying to implement a plan to limit the growth of the
These non venomous pythons have been documented to attack and constrict their owners which in turn have led handlers to release them illegally in the Everglades. Their existence and carnivore diet is concerning because these reptiles prey on native species that are endangered like the Key Largo woodrat and compete with threatened native species like the Indigo snake. Burmese pythons are part of the Federal Lacey Act and on the injurious list. This dictates that federal law does not allow transport across state lines nor foreign import of wildlife deemed injurious to the “health and welfare of humans, the interests of agriculture, horticulture or forestry, and the welfare and survival of wildlife resources of the
First of all, The snakes are destroying the ecosystem. According to, Burmese Python Not the Ideal Pet, " With no natural predators, these eating machines appear to be wiping out huge numbers of opossums, raccoons, and bobcats, as well as many bird species." This evidence shows that the pythons are eating and destroying all of these animals leading to early extinction which can affect all of the other species that rely on those animals the pythons are eating. Burmese python Not The Ideal Pet also states, "Tens of thousands of Burmese pythons are estimated to be living in the Everglades" This shows that thousands of snakes living on the everglades are destroying these poor animals that don’t deserve this.
Invasive species have the potential to harm their new environments. The release of Burmese pythons in South Florida is especially troublesome because the subtropical climate and the vast undisturbed habitats of the Everglades enable the species to thrive. Other large non-native snakes— such as the common boa (Boa constrictor), green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus), and reticulated python (Python reticulatus)—have been observed in the wild in South Florida, but only Burmese pythons and common boas are known to be breeding. Burmese pythons were first reported as established in Everglades National Park (ENP) by Meshaka, based in part on specimens collected on the Main Park Road in the mid-1990s. Since then, the number of Burmese pythons captured or found dead in and around ENP has increased dramatically increased. From 2002 - 2005, 201 pythons were captured and removed or found dead. In 2006 - 2007 alone, that number more than doubled to
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.
Should exotic snakes or other large reptiles be allowed as pets in Florida? Right now these escaped/released feral reptiles create an estimated $120 billion in environmental damage each year according to David Steen on Slates Animal Blog.
The commission is firmly committed to taking all necessary actions within their given authority to assure recovery for the Florida panther. The panthers are still going to need broad public support and active cooperation among all management. "Civilization is the main threat to the survival of the Florida panther…," and so it will be until we learn how to respect these species that occupied the land before us. A land that was not ours to take and land we truly need as badly for survival as these creatures. Works Cited: 1.
Levin, T. (1998, June/July). Listening to wildlife in the Everglades. National Wildlife, 36, 20- 31. McCally, D. (1999). The Everglades: An Environmental History. Gainsville: University Press of Florida.
The piece I chose to do my literary analysis on was the article, The Truth About Invasive Species, written by Alan Burdick. The article states that invasive species are all around us, but the area with the most prominent amount is the suburbs of Miami. It goes into detail about how abundant invasive species are in this area. Most people who would see a strange animal in their lawn or area would be bemused, however for the people of Southern Florida, this is a recurring scene. Burdick states that “virtually everyone in the South Florida, including Hardwick, has a neighbor with a backyard menagerie of lucrative critters on hold for resale”. Burdick describes both how an invasive species is introduced into an ecosystem, and the impact the have on other species upon their arrival.
The Florida Everglades have been slowly and steadily diminishing in size for over many decades. Throughout the years, the Everglades have had an abundant, healthy environment. The massive swamps were once rich with marshland, and had ecosystems chock-full of wildlife. However, due to large corporations, natural disasters and most importantly, the growth of the human population, the Everglades are 50% smaller than they were hundreds of years ago. The destruction of the Florida Everglades includes not only a diminishing number of the marshland, but also the lessening of wild life, such as alligators, herons, and exotic plants. While there is a government plan set for the restoration of the everglades, it will take many years to make up for the
Retrieved March 20th, 2014 from http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/investigations/2014/02/12/wild-animals-exotic-illegal-dangerous-snakes-lions-bears-alligators/5432701/.
The Burmese python is one of the largest snake species which minimizes its chances of
Marjory Stoneman Douglas (April 7, 1890 – May 14, 1998) was an American journalist, writer and environmentalist known for her staunch defense of the Florida Everglades against draining and development. Moving to Miami as a young woman to work for The Miami Herald, Douglas became a freelance writer, producing over a hundred short stories that were published in popular magazines. Her most influential work was the book The Everglades: River of Grass (1947), which redefined the popular conception of the Everglades as a treasured river instead of a worthless swamp. Published the same year as the formal opening of Everglades National Park, the book was a call to attention about the degrading quality of life in the Everglades and continues to remain an influential book on nature conservation as well as a reference for information on South Florida. Its impact has been compared to that of the influential 1962 book Silent Spring. Dougla’s books, stories, and journalism career brought her influence in Miami, which she used to advance her causes.
Is it possible to need reasons to move to Florida? After all, the Sunshine State is hardly a backwater nor does it battle with nasty winter conditions. Still, if your boss comes to you and says he wants you to establish a new base in Fort Meyer or Kissimmee, you should seriously consider Florida and for the following 12 reasons.
Vacation is the one thing that people look forward to throughout the year. People usually think of it as a time to relax, unwind, and enjoy an amazing tropical getaway. Maybe it’s chilling at the beach or taking the night out, vacation is always something fun for anyone. Imagine yourself soaking in the sun, laying by the shore, breathing in the salty air, and laying under a palm tree. People can experience this all right along the island of Key West. Key West is an exciting vacation for the whole family to enjoy that includes snorkeling to amazing seafood.
The Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) has been on the endangered species list since 1967 with only 130 individuals surviving within a small area in Southern Florida (Sullivan 2004). Prior to conservation efforts, the Florida panther has suffered several population losses due to inbreeding, habitat loss, and vehicular collisions with only an estimated 30 surviving individuals in the 1970s (Maehr 1992). The number one threat to the Florida panther is habitat loss and habitat fragmentation due to urban development in Southern FL within the hardwood hammocks and wetland habitats in which they live in. Most of the current panther population is located within public lands such as the Big Cypress National Reserve and the Everglades, with some rehabilitation centers such as White Oak and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge to help with conservation efforts within this area (see Figure 1: Florida Panther Home Ranges).