In a state known for its alligators, theme parks, and sun-seeking tourists of all stripes, Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) are one unwelcome visitor. Thousands of these roughly 13-foot-long snakes usually found in Southeast Asia have been slithering around parts of Florida for about the last 40 years, wreaking havoc on native species and harming the ecosystem. While the exact number is unknown, some scientists estimate that there could be as many as 100,000 to 300,000 pythons in the Sunshine State.
To combat this invasive species, the state sponsors a popular annual hunting contest in an effort to cull the population and works with various groups to catch the snakes. Scientists are also experimenting with finding the snakes with the environmental DNA that they leave behind. Now, University of Florida scientists have statistically analyzed data collected Burmese python contractors to figure out the most efficient way to remove the reptiles. The findings are detailed in a study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Burmese pythons are considered generalist predators. They can eat pretty much anything and numerous species–including large deer–have been found in their gut during necropsies. They also eat protected and threatened Florida species including the wood stork and Key Largo woodrat. They can consume meals equivalent to 100 percent of their body mass. However, there have been no reported human deaths from wild-living Burmese pythons in Florida.
“Pythons disrupt food webs, altering predator-prey dynamics and reducing populations of key native species,” Alex Romer, a study co-author and a quantitative ecologist at UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, said in a statement. “By refining removal strategies, we’re working to give native wildlife a chance to adapt and persist.”
The data was collected between May 2020 and April 2022 and the team analyzed a total of 4,092 surveys from python contractors totaling over 16,000 hours of effort in finding and containing the snakes. They looked through the data to see if factors like time of day or temperature impacted the chance of successfully removing a python. The team also analyzed whether the most surveyed areas in the state aligned with the highest python removals. This way, state officials can pinpoint regions where few contractors are catching a lot of pythons, indicating that more contractors should be working in these spots to remove more snakes.
The analysis indicated two regions where efforts to remove pythons could be bolstered with more surveying. The western edge of Big Cypress National Preserve in the south central portion of the state and a stormwater treatment area in Palm Beach County to the east.
The team also identified the optimal conditions that appear to improve survey outcomes.
Python surveys are most successful and efficient from May through October–Florida’s wet season. A drop of barometric pressure the day before also increases the likelihood of a successful python survey.
The most efficient time to look for pythons is between the hours of 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Surveying overnight generally yielded better results, except during periods of extreme cold. In Florida, this occurs when daily air temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
[ Related: Burmese pythons stretch their mouths even wider than we thought possible. ]
Boats, canoes, kayaks, and airboats can also enhance survey effectiveness.
According to the team, this data can inform new guidelines for state and local governments for successful detection and removal efforts. It also highlights the importance in citizen science, the data was collected as part of the SFWMD Python Elimination Program. The project trains individuals from all backgrounds to safely locate and contain pythons.
“Managing pythons is an enormous effort, undertaken by Floridians deeply invested in restoring the intricate ecological processes that define the Everglades,” said Romer. “This work is about safeguarding one of the world’s most unique ecosystems—not just for today, but for generations to come.”
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