The Florida Everglades, a sprawling and diverse wetland ecosystem, faces a significant threat from an introduced species: the Burmese python. These constrictors have become well-established in the region, reproducing successfully and growing to considerable sizes, with some individuals reaching over 18 feet in length. Their presence disrupts the natural balance of this unique environment, posing a substantial challenge to native wildlife. Originating from Southeast Asia, Burmese pythons were introduced to Florida through the exotic pet trade, with many escaping or being released into the wild.
Primary Prey Animals
Burmese pythons are generalist predators, consuming a wide array of animals in the Everglades. Their diet includes various mammals, such as raccoons, opossums, bobcats, and white-tailed deer. They can also consume large prey due to their ability to unhinge their jaws, with documented instances of pythons eating entire deer and even alligators. Scientists determine their diet through necropsies and examination of stomach contents from captured pythons.
Beyond mammals, these snakes prey on numerous bird species, including wading birds, waterfowl, and even raptors. Studies have identified remains of at least 58 different bird species in python digestive tracts, some of which are migratory birds from distant regions. Their diet also extends to other reptiles, such as native snakes, lizards, and turtles. Amphibians are also part of their diet.
Ecological Impact of Their Diet
The varied diet of Burmese pythons has led to profound consequences for the native Everglades ecosystem. Their predation has caused severe declines in populations of many native prey species, fundamentally altering the food web. For instance, studies have reported dramatic drops in mammal sightings, including raccoons, opossums, and bobcats, with declines ranging from 87.5% to over 99% in areas with established python populations. Marsh rabbits, cottontail rabbits, and foxes have also disappeared from some areas.
This depletion of native prey animals impacts other native predators, such as Florida panthers and alligators. While large alligators can prey on smaller pythons, the larger pythons can consume alligators. The overall biodiversity of the Everglades is threatened as pythons compete for food and space, disrupting the delicate balance of this unique habitat. This decline can lead to cascading effects throughout the ecosystem.
Efforts to Manage Python Populations
In response to the ecological damage caused by Burmese pythons, various efforts are underway to manage and reduce their populations in the Everglades. State agencies, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), operate python removal programs. These programs employ trained contractors who are paid to locate and humanely remove pythons from public lands. Since 2017, these coordinated programs have removed thousands of pythons from natural areas.
Public involvement is also encouraged through initiatives like the Florida Python Challenge, an annual competition designed to raise awareness and incentivize python removal. Detection methods used to locate these cryptic snakes include scent detection dogs and the use of radio-tagged “Judas” snakes, which lead researchers to other pythons, especially breeding females. Despite these efforts, controlling the well-established python population across the vast and complex Everglades remains a significant challenge.