Despite great efforts to slow the proliferation of giant Burmese pythons in the Everglades National Park (USA), local authorities have admitted that eradicating them is “impossible”. .
The number of giant Burmese pythons is increasing in the Everglades National Park in Florida (USA), leading experts to admit that eradicating this invasive species may be an impossible task. exam.
Despite efforts to slow their proliferation over the past two decades, Burmese pythons are still appearing more and more northward, threatening the state’s ecology.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) in February called this python species “one of the most difficult invasive species to tackle globally”.
From exotic pets to extinct animals
In the 1970s, this giant python became an exotic and popular pet in the United States. But then, the animals eventually grew so large that their owners could no longer keep them and released them into the wild . By the 2000s, experts said, generations of pythons were multiplying rapidly over a fairly large geographical area in the Everglades and south of Florida.
Their overgrowth, which harms many native animals, leads to regulations restricting the importation and possession of pythons. But it was too late to stop their encroachment.
Adult pythons in southern Florida reach a size too large for most predators to destroy. The largest python ever recorded in Florida was nearly 6m long, weighing nearly 100kg. When caught, the animal had 122 eggs.
Where people helplessly erase the giant Burmese pythons
Pythons in Florida usually lay an average of 11 to 84 eggs. Larger individuals may contain 79 to 87 eggs.
As a species that likes to hide and thrive in remote environments, so far, experts have not been able to calculate exactly how many exist in Florida. But they estimate there are at least tens of thousands of them.
Organized many python hunts with great prizes but no success
Every year, the local government organizes a contest “Python Hunting Challenge” with attractive prizes. Last year, 231 were killed in this challenge. The hunter who finds a female python nest with more eggs to destroy, the greater the reward.
Before starting, python hunters must take a course on how to kill pythons humanely or using mechanical methods. The contest does not allow the use of guns.
Last year’s winner received 10,000 USD in prize money (more than 2 billion VND) for hunting 28 animals. Dustin Crum, a hunter, brought home $ 1,500 when he caught the longest python in the competition with a size of 3.5m. Previously, this hunter had caught another 4.5m long.
According to professional hunter Dustin, in addition to hourly remuneration, the state also pays each python caught for its length. And sometimes, experts ask hunters to catch pythons alive to facilitate research.
However, the number is still considered too small compared to individuals living in the natural environment.
Killing the giant python is increasingly difficult
In addition to a team of professional hunters, the Florida state government has set up a hotline to report invasive species.
Experts say that, despite applying various methods to catch pythons, the tools are not appreciated because it is difficult to detect them. To date, the eradication of giant pythons in South Florida has been largely unsuccessful.
