Burmese Pythons are native to South East Asia and are known as some of the largest snakes in existence. Although frightening to humans, these snakes are nonvenomous. They primarily eat small mammals and birds by unhinging their jaw and swallowing their prey. Burmese pythons are usually 12 to 23 feet in length and weigh up to 200 pounds in the wild. While they thrive in their grassy marshlands and the jungles of South East Asia, the "exotic pet" craze of the 1980s brought Burmese Pythons to the United States. Before that, large snakes could be mainly seen at fair exhibits or for photo opportunities. South Florida became a hub for python owners. In the 1980s, some owners either purposefully released their snakes into the wild after learning they were difficult to care for or after the snakes grew up and doubled in size. Also, without a proper habitat, these snakes can easily escape from yards or poorly designed cages. It is estimated that about 2 million constrictor snakes have come through Miami due to the exotic animal trade. Since then, the Florida Everglades have been plagued with Burmese Pythons that are ruining the Everglades' ecological balance.
A report in The New York Times entitled "The Snake that's Eating Florida" states, "They are believed to have eaten their way through the Everglades, bringing about startling changes in the ecosystem." Native mammals have dwindled in numbers in the Everglades. For example, no snake was big enough to eat mammals such as racoons or opossums until the release of the pythons. As the snake population grew, the pythons migrated to the mainland and put other species in danger. Florida's tropical climate is perfect for these snakes to thrive. Still, they have decimated the native wildlife such as Key Largo Woodrat. Also, they compete with other native predators such as the indigo snake. Burmese Pythons in the wild rarely attack humans. Still, there have been incidents of attacks, especially in pets that are not cared for properly.
Recently, there have been attempts to quell the Burmese Python population in South Florida. The Florida Nature Conservancy started "Python Patrol" in 2008, where citizens report and capture pythons. Similarly, the Florida government has the "Python Challenge." They essentially offer "snake ranging courses" for citizens to go into the Everglades and spot and capture pythons. Pennsylvania News states, "The FWC, working together with the South Florida Water Management District, under the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis, have removed 5,000 invasive Burmese pythons from South Florida's Everglades." The National Fish and Wildlife survey also has scientists looking at ways to remove or limit the python population. The most promising would be a "freeze" coming to South Florida, but that would cause other issues with crops such as citrus. Additionally, the Obama administration enacted laws about the selling and transporting of constrictors as pets. This law seems to still stand during the Trump administration. Without proper management of these snakes, the everglades, which are already plagued with other invasive species, will suffer environmentally. Efforts need to be made locally, nationally, and personally. Pythons are interesting in the wild but should rarely be a pet because humans are the reason for this invasion.