Florida’s Python Crisis: How Illegal Pet Trading Spawned an Environmental Menace

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The U.S. Geological Survey says the Python population exploded into an invasion after 20 years at the southern tip of Everglades National Park.

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Floridians are currently standing in between a python invasion, according to a study conducted from the findings of more than 250 research papers.

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The pythons are not native to the land since they have been brought to America via illegal pet trading methods.

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Genetic analysis suggests that there is the presence of snakes with different patterns on their skin to the west near Naples.

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The little speck of removals in the southernmost point of the Everglades from 1995 to 2000 can be observed from the map researchers created to study the snake’s "invasion front."

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The outer invasion occurred from 2019 to 2021 reaching West Palm Beach, the southern end of Lake Okeechobee, and areas north of Fort Myers.

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At least 76 prey species have been found in the snakes, including small mammals like raccoons, opossums, bobcats, rabbits, gray foxes, and white-tailed deer in the Everglades National Park.

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One study found that the snakes frequently find warmth in the burrows of mammals and gopher tortoises to survive in cold temperatures.

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The state’s annual 10-day Python Challenge is one of the tools being used to slow down the invasion to protect the natural environment.

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