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BuckDaddy
Posts: 644 Officer
"More Python!" Florida python hunt didn't fix Everglades invasion, scientist says
BuckDaddy
Posts: 644 Officer
Wondering if the anti's complaining to the FL legislature have any problem with this hunt?... Time to expand this opportunity...
Florida python hunt didn't fix Everglades invasion, scientist says
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ap-python-hunt-no-help-20150421-story.html
April 21, 2005 By Jennifer Kay Associated Press
CORAL SPRINGS — As Florida prepares to unleash the public in another hunt for Burmese pythons in the Everglades, an analysis from the first Python Challenge shows the 2013 spectacle didn't do anything to curb the invasive snake's population in the wetlands, a scientist says..
Most of those snakes were caught by experienced hunters with permits to hunt pythons regularly on state lands. But the did nothing to control Florida's python population, said Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida scientist who studied the 68 snakes captured.
Mazzotti presented his findings at an invasive species workshop Monday in Coral Springs.
It's unknown exactly how many pythons live in the wild in Florida. Most of the captured pythons were adult males, which may have inadvertently reduced competition for the adult breeding females remaining in the wild, and most were found along roads and levees where pythons previously were captured, Mazzotti said.
Their stomach contents raise new questions about what pythons are eating. Scientists have blamed pythons for alarming drop-offs in native mammal populations in the Everglades, but the prey consumed by the 68 snakes caught in the 2013 hunt was almost evenly split between small mammals, such as rats and rabbits, and wading birds. A few also made room for alligators.
The python's diet may be shifting to birds as mammals decline, or pythons may just eat more birds during the winter nesting season, Mazzotti said.
Florida is planning another Python Challenge in early 2016. About 1,600 people signed up for the first hunt, but it's not clear that so many will return.
Florida python hunt didn't fix Everglades invasion, scientist says
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ap-python-hunt-no-help-20150421-story.html
April 21, 2005 By Jennifer Kay Associated Press
CORAL SPRINGS — As Florida prepares to unleash the public in another hunt for Burmese pythons in the Everglades, an analysis from the first Python Challenge shows the 2013 spectacle didn't do anything to curb the invasive snake's population in the wetlands, a scientist says..
Most of those snakes were caught by experienced hunters with permits to hunt pythons regularly on state lands. But the did nothing to control Florida's python population, said Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida scientist who studied the 68 snakes captured.
Mazzotti presented his findings at an invasive species workshop Monday in Coral Springs.
It's unknown exactly how many pythons live in the wild in Florida. Most of the captured pythons were adult males, which may have inadvertently reduced competition for the adult breeding females remaining in the wild, and most were found along roads and levees where pythons previously were captured, Mazzotti said.
Their stomach contents raise new questions about what pythons are eating. Scientists have blamed pythons for alarming drop-offs in native mammal populations in the Everglades, but the prey consumed by the 68 snakes caught in the 2013 hunt was almost evenly split between small mammals, such as rats and rabbits, and wading birds. A few also made room for alligators.
The python's diet may be shifting to birds as mammals decline, or pythons may just eat more birds during the winter nesting season, Mazzotti said.
Florida is planning another Python Challenge in early 2016. About 1,600 people signed up for the first hunt, but it's not clear that so many will return.
Replies
I had you pissed off at hello.
Most people still would not find any .
I had you pissed off at hello.
that aint too cool! :banghead
That will all change when they find a cougar cub inside the stomach of one of the pythons during the autopsies... :grin
That ain't Country for a Day stroll. Air Boats and Full Tracks will clear them lower South Heads in a couple months.
The Kayak guys can kill the rest.....
Just think , A Blow Boat guy saved the last pair of nesting Seaside Sparrows from the Invasive Killer Snakes.
We might get Special Rudder stickers from the NPS...
They tell you to go look on road side and levees but did not include in their training that it was illegal to discharge a firearm from such locations. One of the success stories that got posted the the FWC facebook page was that of a man that stated that he pull the snake up on the levee and shot it.
All you heard on the news was that the snakes have devastated all small animals populations. Well in the WMA's that the public can hunt you can still harvest unlimited numbers of some small game. If FWC believes that the snakes have eaten all of them then they would not allow such a liberal harvest. At not point do I remember there being a news release other than the data provided by NPS on the real impact on South Florida. It is also noted that another major contributor to the large reduction of small animals in the park is due to coyotes.
I have no problem with seeking major media attention to South Florida but lets fully educate the public in the process. If we do not want the newcomers then take off the gloves on their removal. Lets let the public harvest the snakes year round on the WMA's if they have a WMA permit.
Why not put a yr round bounty on them? That would do 2 things, get people to voluntarily turn in the pet snake,and also get hunters out there looking.
Let fulltracks and airboats out to the places inaccessible to the public to hunt these reptiles.
Florida should "get out of the dark ages" maybe take some notes on how NOLA does it.. http://www.nola.com/pets/index.ssf/2010/09/nutria_tail-bounty_program_see.html
Valid question
The NPS is going to have to relax their stance on this. If not, then maybe the State of Florida needs to hold them accountable and responsible going forward.
I agree there shouldn't be a season based on WMAs, nor should one need a WMA permit to participate. Maybe a no-fee snake permit that identifies the person.
Two reasons: 1. USFWS/NPS is involved on many of the lands containing these snakes and they require a permit to fart on their properties. 2.)SFWMD is involved and they take the same stance as USFWS/NPS.
You want to get rid of the restrictions? Get it politicized and have the legislature put pressure on these agencies.
I had you pissed off at hello.
Cougars R next...
Can I hunt there if I promise not to fluctuate?
I had you pissed off at hello.
That too!