Burmese Python Decline

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The Burmese python is one of the five largest snakes in the world. They originate from Southeast Asia. In the 1980’s the Burmese python was introduced to the Everglades in Florida as a freed pet. “Often, people purchase these animals when they are babies, and small enough to be housed in a 10-gallon terrarium. But within a few years, these snakes will be devouring rats like popcorn, and weighing as much (or more) than their owners.” (Cornett) These days these pet snakes are frequently released when they grow too large to handle. They are then able to reproduce. In my opinion the Burmese python will continue to affect the world majorly because it is deeply altering the population of native plants and animals and it is widening its habitat throughout…show more content…
The Burmese python are also conditioned to a warm and humid habitat which a collection of American locations have. Even though the U.S.A sounds like an ideal habitat for the Burmese python, it is not ideal because when they invade they are altering the whole ecosystem. For instance, ever since the Burmese python invaded the Everglades the population of the native marsh rabbit has declined by 77%. This is because the Burmese python has been devouring the marsh rabbits. The species is now extinct to the Everglades. Also, when any invasive species including the Burmese python invades a habitat it becomes competition to the native species for it’s necessities. In addition to my last point the Burmese python will eat practically anything, therefore preventing native species from reproducing and killing their young. Even though the Burmese python helps control the population of animals like the common Myna they are still exceedingly affecting our…show more content…
Native to the humid southeastern part of Asia, a habitat includes jungles and swampy marshes, the Burmese Python has found a very similar domain in Southeastern U.S.A. These areas include nearly all of Florida, New Orleans,and southern Texas. In January 2010 there was an extreme cold freeze in the southeastern U.S.A. This cold front worried many scientists because even though many pythons died, a handful used coping mechanisms such as seeking refuge underground to survive the cold. This troubled scientists because they think that because they survived the freeze their habitat range could expand throughout all of the United States. Also, Late USGS inspections give proof that pythons may have the ability to live in aquatic situations, for example,basins, bays and oceans. This study showed that in the lab, Burmese python snakelets had the ability to withstand introduction to saltwater long enough to show that the species could possibly extend its habitat range through sea. These outcomes raise worries that the python may attack close-by islands, for example, the Florida Keys. While the Burmese python helps to control the population of invasive species,The python will affect the world majorly because they are able to spread through the rest of the USA, they are stopping native animals from reproducing,and they are

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