Alarming footage from the necropsy of a gigantic Burmese python in Florida resurfaced on Reddit, drawing awareness to the state’s massive invasive species problem.
What’s happening?
“Florida is the Australia of the United States” is a loose internet proverb, one that alludes to their shared propensity for putting the “wild” in “wildlife.”
On the r/InterestingAsF*** subreddit, a user shared a video depicting the necropsy, or animal autopsy, of an 18-foot python that had been euthanized by workers in Everglades National Park, as is required by law. The clip was originally shared on Instagram by geoscientist Rosie Moore (@rosiekmoore), who was present at the necropsy.
When researchers began cutting, they discovered a fully intact, undigested, 5-foot alligator.
Although the footage was unsettling without context, it also quietly served as an object lesson.
Alligators are native to Florida, but Burmese pythons are not, and under its shock value, the clip told a detailed story about the dangers of invasive species.
Why is this incident concerning?
Alligator attacks are not rare, and native Floridians know to keep an eye out for lurking gators.
It can be easy to conflate native predators with invasive species, but the latter are an entirely different problem.
Like many invasive species, Burmese pythons were introduced to Florida through the exotic pet trade, with the first recorded sighting in 1979.
“It’s one anniversary we’d rather not celebrate,” the National Park Service said on the 40th anniversary of the sighting. The U.S. Geological Survey held a similar view, adding that invasive species such as Burmese pythons have caused over $1.21 trillion in damage since 1960.
In 2012, the USGS reported a massive decline in mammal populations in Florida due to Burmese pythons, which means that, in addition to decimating prey, the snakes are outcompeting native predators like alligators for food.
Native species displaced by invasives can exhibit unusual and dangerous behaviors, such as encroaching on human habitats in search of food and endangering people.
The USGS noted Burmese pythons are exceptionally “well-adapted” to the Everglades, thriving in its climate and blending in so thoroughly that they can be difficult to detect.
A Reddit user in Florida lamented the spread of this invasive snake: “They are invasive and killing native species at alarming rates. We have a yearly python hunt … to try to curb their numbers. … They are starting to populate areas outside the Everglades as well. Definitely not what we want.”
What’s being done about it?
As the Redditor noted, organized annual python hunts incentivize locals to help eradicate the species.
“The single most effective way to not have invasive species in Florida is by not letting them get here in the first place,” the NPS emphasized, reminding people to stay aware of key climate issues like invasive species.
Bryan Falk, supervisory invasive species biologist at Everglades National Park, urged people to report invasive plants and animals and emphasized the importance of early detection.
“Reports from the public are incredibly important because they help us make management decisions,” Falk explained.
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