Burmese Pythons Eating Everglades' Rabbits Faster Than They Can Reproduce
- 9 years ago
A recent study tracking the behavior of invasive, non-native Burmese pythons in Florida’s Everglades National Park has shown that they are extremely active to the point where their predatory activity outpaces the fast reproduction of rabbits.
Burmese pythons in Florida’s Everglades are so active, they are eating rabbits faster than the small animals can reproduce.
In recent decades, scientists had suspected that the non-native snakes were the cause of dramatic drops in mammal populations including raccoons and deer.
The pythons had spread through the area from their native southeast Asia due to the pet trade in the 1990s, around the time when mammals began to decline.
To determine if a causal link did indeed exist, a team led by researchers at the University of Florida, conducted a study from September 2012 to A
Burmese pythons in Florida’s Everglades are so active, they are eating rabbits faster than the small animals can reproduce.
In recent decades, scientists had suspected that the non-native snakes were the cause of dramatic drops in mammal populations including raccoons and deer.
The pythons had spread through the area from their native southeast Asia due to the pet trade in the 1990s, around the time when mammals began to decline.
To determine if a causal link did indeed exist, a team led by researchers at the University of Florida, conducted a study from September 2012 to A