The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is counting on the general public to help control the number of invasive snakes in the state – including the big-mouth hissing and snapping Burmese python, which can grow to be more than 22 feet long.
State wildlife officials say Florida is practically overrun with snakes and there’s no way they’ll ever get rid of all of them, but they’re hoping to control and manage the snake population with volunteer “python patrols” that are teaching people how to identify and capture the snakes and how to tell which snakes are Florida natives and which ones aren’t. It’s an “early detection, fast response” program, wildlife administrators say.
“Python patrol” classes meet monthly in several locations statewide, but most take place in south Florida because that’s where a majority of the invasive snakes are found. Officials estimate that 150,000 pythons alone are in south Florida.
The pythons were first discovered in the 1970s, and have wreaked havoc on the state’s ecological system, particularly in the Everglades where the snake has been known to swallow alligators whole. Wildlife officials say the non-native snake invasion is largely due to people turning their pet snakes loose when they grew to be too big.
After a series of classes, residents can apply for a state permit that allows them to hunt for snakes on state land. The state is asking that any captured snake be turned over to wildlife officials, who will euthanize them or keep them for research.
The snakes are not just found in swampy or isolated areas. Wildlife officials say there is a particularly aggressive North African “rock” python they’ve found just several miles away from downtown Miami.
