Snakes a threat to U.S.

Foreign Pythons and Anacondas Threaten U.S.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009


This snake story may not seem important just now because it seems to be a problem plaguing the southern part of Florida especially in the Everglades where the Burmese python and the yellow anaconda have been proliferating in the wild. Two causes for the problem have been sited by scientists who “believe pet owners have freed their snakes into the wild once they became too big to keep. They also think some Burmese pythons may have escaped in 1992 from pet shops battered by Hurricane Andrew and have been reproducing ever since.” The article indicated this could become a national problem as liken to the non native brown snake that took over Guam and killed out most of the bird population there. Similarly these rather large snakes are now being studied to see if they can live in other climates that might have colder winters.


I’m creeped out by any snake much less non native humongous body crushing snakes. I think the only good snake is a dead snake, so I hope I live in one of the States that the scientist find inhospitable for these constrictors. Yes, I know native snakes serve a purpose for vermin control, but they are still creepy.


One of the creepiest things the article informs is “Officials say the constrictors can produce up to 100 eggs at a time. Dr. Robert Reed, a research biologist with the U.S. geological survey, said everything from small wood storks to alligators and bobcats have been found in the stomachs of dead pythons.” And one of the saddest things reported was this same Reed guy stated” these free-range snakes pose a "minuscule" threat to people.” Well I’m not convinced because the article had a link to a python strangling a 2 year old girl as she slept in her crib and I think it could have easily been a child playing in the front yard and I can’t imagine having to worry about this type of predator. An occasional mountain lion sighting or bear sighting I can handle, but I don’t think I would sleep nights know these slithering monsters could be about. Interestingly the article reported that permits have been issued that would allow hunting and killing of these snakes but not in the Everglades National Park where 270 Burmese pythons have been removed in the last nine months. I don’t know, but if you ask me I think they need to lift their restriction on hunting in the park for awhile.

I hope I have not offended any snake lovers out there. I actually work with a man who keeps exotic snakes in his basement. And we live a few miles from a reptile zoo, so I can’t say that the information in this article does not apply to me living in this area. Florida has their hurricanes but we have tornados. Imagine what might happen to this area if the buildings housing these snakes suddenly blew apart. I wish the article had given a little advice to what to do if you are surprised by one of these snakes.