Burmese Pythons continue to thrive in the Florida Everglades. The habitat is a perfect biological fit for the species indigenous to Central Asia. Their proliferation is evidence that they are at the top of the food chain in the Florida Everglades as evidenced by rare video and photographs of them eating the previous number one predator, the North American Alligator.
These snakes began being released into the Everglades by South Florida owners who had purchased them as pets and then realized that they were too large and potentially too dangerous to keep at home. The snakes were some of the most popular reptiles for purchase at popular Reptile Showcase Shows around the country. Local and State Governments were behind the curve in realizing that these snakes, once released into the wild, could multiply at an alarming rate, thrive in the environment with very little threat from predators. Pronounced declines in a number of mammalian species have coincided with the proliferation of pythons in the Florida Everglades. Although the detectability of pythons in the Everglades makes population estimates difficult, it is estimated conservatively that their are 30,000 snakes with upwards of possibly 300,000.
Realizing the threat to the food chain in the Florida Everglades due to the Pythons unexpected rise in numbers, several methods have been proposed by State Government. Employing sniff dogs has not worked effectively nor have human searches. The thick vegetation, canals and swamps has made it nearly impossible to find the snakes. Air searches have also proven unsuccessful.
