14 DAY TRIAL // Just recently, wildlife specialists working with the Florida Museum of Natural History cut open a python caught in the Everglades National Park and were quite surprised to find that the animal had a total of 87 eggs inside it.
Apparently, this discovery sets a new record as far as the breeding abilities of this species goes.
In spite of the fact that Burmese pythons are native to Southeast Asia, it now seems that this species is thriving in the state of Florida, most likely in the detriment of native wildlife on which they feed.
Specialists explain that, in just 25 years, the python population in the Everglades National Park moved from comprising of just a few individuals to virtually taking over the natural ecosystems in this part of the US, something that raises serious concerns with respect to how local biodiversity will succeed in coping with this invasive species.
Presently, members of the Everglades National Park and of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are seeking help from other agencies in order to somehow contain this boom in the Burmese python population.
Moreover, people are no longer allowed to keep such animals as pets or transport them over state lines without their being able to present authorities with a federal permit.
The official website for the University of Florida informs us that said monstrous python recently dissected by scientists measured a total of 17 feet and 7 inches, and that the 87 eggs found inside stand as proof that this invasive species is indeed a major problem that the state's officials need to deal with as soon as possible.
Researcher Kenneth Krysko makes a case of how, “This thing is monstrous, it’s about a foot wide. It means these snakes are surviving a long time in the wild, there’s nothing stopping them and the native wildlife are in trouble.”
Furthermore, “By learning what this animal has been eating and its reproductive status, it will hopefully give us insight into how to potentially manage other wild Burmese pythons in the future. It also highlights the actual problem, which is invasive species.”
Interestingly enough, it seems that Florida's now having to deal with invasive exotic snake species is a direct result of people intending to keep these animals as pets, and then accidentally or intentionally setting them free in the state's natural habitats.
More information and images in the video down below.
