Pythons in the Florida Everglades

Conservation biologist Stuart Pimm interviews Nicolette Cagle, a Duke University colleague who did her Ph. D on snakes. She and her husband, Mark, a vet, introduce their pet boa constrictor, as an axample of the kind of giant pet reptile that is invading the Florida Everglades. Pimm then interviews Lucas Joppa, another Duke University snake expert, about the invasion of the Everlades by Burmese pythons. Read more about of all this on Stuart Pimm's National Geographic blog post: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2009/09/pythons-in...

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• snakes
• conservation
• invasive species
• pythons
• Everglades
• boa constrictors

[totalwombatfan]

It's not our trade that's destroying the Everglades, it's just a few idiots that didn't realize how big their pets would become. If people were more educated about reptiles, this wouldn't have happened.

They are beautiful animals that should be respected, not hated or feared irrationally. They do not belong in Florida, and that is the fault of a few individuals. I think that permits for larger snakes is reasonable, but the thousands of responsible snake keepers do not deserve to suffer.

[snakepunk13]

What "my trade has done to the 'glades"? WTF? I didn't know my "trade"was Hurricane Andrew (since that is how the burms got there).

Legally stopped...haha, you're funny. Besides, how would that help the situation with Burms in the everglades? It won't. It will just make a black market, in which case prices may go up. Don't worry about me though, I raise cornsnakes which are native to the everglades anyway.

Have fun at your PETA meeting.

[6400az]

@Inquisitor53

You DID say it....and your the idiot !!

[Inquisitor53]

@6400az You're an idiot. "If they try and stop me" is your words, not mine. I'll defend my life against anyone trying to kill me or cause me greivous bodily harm. There is a difference between killing in self-defense and murder. Damn shame your immature brain doesn't know it. My "cause" has nothing to do with humans, but something more important, the environment of the 'glades & S. FL being destroyed by invasive species and ensuring the Lacy Act is never repealed, but strengthened.

[Inquisitor53]

@MsJuggalette6969 Great pets? Really? Does your "pet" fetch you the paper in the morning? Does it play ball with you? Can it miss a meal without trying to have you for lunch? Do you let children play with it unsupervised? Can you get it to get back inside the house if it ever got outside? All those questions can be answered with a resounding NO! So much for your "great pets" and your concern for the Everglades.

[6400az]

@Inquisitor53

I know a thing or two about the Everglades, snakes AND python killers, just for the record.

Why should I, or anyone have a better opinion about you when you threaten to kill people if " they try and stop you".One does'nt threaten to kill !! Not on Youtube , not anywhere! Send my comments to whomever you want.

What makes you think that your " cause" is so critical to mankind, that you can carry on at will as you see fit, and as you like ??

[Inquisitor53]

@6400az You're making emotionally-based statements about python-killers with no basis in fact. "...innocent AND defenseless animal...". The destruction of the s. FL's ecosytem by burms proves they are neither innocent nor defenseless (so much for your "truth"). Damn right I talk about karma. I'm also ensuring python owner's get their fair share of it as well by sending emotionally charged statements (like your's) to my congressman to ensure the Casy Act will never get repealed. Thank you!

[Inquisitor53]

@SuperScram1 Thank you! I'm doing what I can, when I can to eliminate as many of them as possible. I'll be spending another week or two here in the western 'glades doing just that. Those that don't appreciate my efforts are those python lovers who can't or don't want to know the truth of the destruction brought about by pythons to S. FL., probably from putting way too much faith in the words of USARK when they should realize USARK's statements are biased. I've caught them in more than one lie.

[6400az]

@Inquisitor53

Many of those who" hunt" pythons do it for one reason and one reason only.Because they like to kill !! Please spare us how you want to save the Evergaldes and the native wildlife. You are someone who's out there to satisfy his own delusional perversion by hacking an innocent AND defenseless animal ( you know that's the truth),,,,,, yet you talk about karma.

[HTCSWEOD]

@totalwombatfan well said

[JoachimderZweite]

That lady and man are really stupid. That python could crush either of them if it wanted to. Keep it well fed dimwits. 

[MsJuggalette6969]

F this dude...im so F'n pissed...boas and pythons are great pets in the US