“This new record snake demonstrates dramatically how well these animals have adapted to the Everglades and the danger they pose to birds and other native wildlife,” said George Wallace, Vice-President of American Bird Conservancy.įlorida has the world's worst invasive reptile and amphibian problem.
The team also identified the remains of a Wood Stork, which is a federally endangered species.
Four of the species identified (Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis and Limpkin) are listed as “species of special concern” by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The results reflected a wide variety of species, from the 5-inch-long House Wren to the 4-foot-long Great Blue Heron. From these remains the team identified 25 species of birds by comparing feathers and bone fragments with specimens in the Smithsonian's collection. Eighty-five of these snakes had bird remains in their intestinal tracts. The scientists collected 343 Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park. They have also been recorded preying on deer, bobcats, alligators, and other large animals.īetween 20, scientists from the Smithsonian Institution, South Florida Natural Resources Center and the University of Florida examined the snake's predation of the area's birds. Burmese pythons are known to prey on native birds, posing an additional and growing threat to some populations already in trouble. Department of the Interior to research methods for managing the state's invasive Burmese python problem. The animal was brought to the Florida Museum of Natural History for examination as part of a long-term project with the U.S.
Scientists found out later that the snake also contained a state record, 87 eggs. Geological Survey in Florida have captured a 17-foot-7-inch-long, 164.5-pound Burmese python in Everglades National Park, a record for the state. (August 21, 2012) Researchers with the U.S. Burmese python by Kristen Grace, Florida Museum of Natural History
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