In November 2009, scientists from the University of Florida caught this 73 kilogram and almost 4.6 meter long tiger python. The snake had just swallowed up an approximately 1.8 meter long alligator.
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Last but not least, the stranglers are held responsible for the sharp decline in smaller mammal species in the Everglades. The snakes have therefore been hunted for a long time.
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Since 2017, registered snake catchers have also been paid by the state of Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows some caught specimens on its website.
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Very large specimens over four or even five meters are extremely rare.
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Most of the adult animals caught in Florida are between 1.8 and 2.7 meters long, according to the agency.
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Recently the 5th’000th Python caught since 2017, which is celebrated as a great success in the fight against the invasive species.
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Hunters pulled 5,000 pythons out of the swamp in Florida
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In November 2009, scientists from the University of Florida caught this 73 kilogram and almost 4.6 meter long tiger python. The snake had just swallowed up an approximately 1.8 meter long alligator.
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Last but not least, the strangler snakes are held responsible for the sharp decline in smaller mammal species in the Everglades. The snakes have therefore been hunted for a long time.
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Since 2017, registered snake catchers have also been paid by the state of Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows some caught specimens on its website.
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Very large specimens over four or even five meters are extremely rare.
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–
–
–
–
Most of the adult animals caught in Florida are between 1.8 and 2.7 meters long, according to the agency.
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Recently the 5th’000th Python caught since 2017, which is celebrated as a great success in the fight against the invasive species.
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Introduced pythons have developed into a nuisance in the US state of Florida. For a few years now there has been an official hunting program that has caught thousands of animals.
Since presumably negligent owners of tiger pythons released their snakes into freedom in the 1980s, the animals have multiplied like crazy – and have become a big problem for native species. At least Florida has now reported a success in the fight against the torturers: 5,000 specimens have already been caught in three years.
The dark tiger python is actually mainly native to Southeast Asia and does not occur naturally in the USA. However, the snakes – since the first animals were probably released by their owners in the 1980s or have escaped from them – have reproduced in the tropical marshland of the Everglades almost better than in their countries of origin. Because here the mighty stranglers find plenty of food and ideal breeding opportunities, but have almost no natural enemies.
Since the snakes, some of which are over four meters long, are extremely hard on domestic species such as birds, lizards and smaller mammals, they have been systematically hunted in Florida for three years after an annual hunting competition had already been held earlier.
State-funded hunting
“Every python eliminated represents hundreds of native wildlife saved,” said Alligator Ron Bergeron, director of the South Florida Water Management District, in one Press release. “Florida is doing more than ever to remove pythons from the Everglades and protect this ecosystem for generations to come.”
Bergnon referred to the number of 5,000 pythons caught since the state launched an official hunting program in 2017. The state pays registered snake hunters a minimum wage of $ 8.25 an hour for a maximum of ten hours a day, plus a bonus for fishing. Pythons that are over four feet in length bring an extra $ 50. In addition, there is an extra 25 dollars on top of this size for each foot (about 30 centimeters). A nesting female is even paid $ 200.
However, it can be doubted whether the catch quota achieved so far really makes a big difference. The United States Department of Interior scientific agency, the United States Geological Survey, estimates at least tens of thousands of snakes in southern Florida. Some experts even suspect up to 300,000 pythons here. Younger females can be between 30 and 50 Owner drop. Adult animals even manage up to 100.