TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Researchers have announced the removal of a record 6,300 pounds of invasive Burmese python from southwest Florida.
A reserve in southwestern Florida said record amounts marked milestones for the Python program. Since 2013, more than 20 tons of Burma Pythons have been removed from the 200-square-mile area of southwest Florida.
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“We have been at the forefront of invasive Python battles for over a decade,” said Ian Bartoszek, a wildlife biologist who oversees the Python program and Conservancy Science Project Manager. “Removing more than 40,000 pounds of snakes done through some of Florida’s relentless wildlife habitats is heavy. However, through years of dedicated research, we have developed a science-based method to more effectively track this apex predator and reduce damage to native wildlife populations.”
The team of researchers now tracks 40 Pisons and “helps finding reproductive pythons during the breeding season from November to April.”
Since 2013, the team said another 20,000 Python eggs have stopped hatching.
“The Pisons in Burmese are impressive creatures here because they are not their own fault,” says Barthsek. “As wildlife biologists, we have tremendous respect for all snake species. However, we understand the implications of invasive pythons on the biodiversity of our region, and we humanely remove them from our ecosystems as part of our conservancy’s commitment to protecting water, land, wildlife and the future.”
