serve as potential hosts for parasites and diseases of economic and human health significance.įORT scientists are conducting several research projects and related efforts involving these invasive snakes: a risk assessment, trap trials, science planning and interpretation of results, and education and outreach.Īgain at the request of the FWS and NPS, USGS investigators Bob Reed and (now retired emeritus) USGS scientist Gordon Rodda conducted a risk assessment of 9 giant constrictor species (See Risk Assessment Species below) to evaluate the ecological, economic, and human-welfare risks associated with invasive giant constrictors in the United States.achieve high population densities (leading to greater impact on native wildlife) and.mature rapidly and produce many offspring (females can store sperm and fertilize their eggs-which in some of these snakes can number more than 100-when conditions are favorable for bearing young).are well-concealed “sit-and-wait” predators (difficult to detect, difficult to trap due to infrequent movements between hiding places).are tolerant of urbanization (can live in urban/suburban areas).are arboreal (tree-dwelling) when young (puts birds and arboreal mammals at risk and provides another avenue for quick dispersal).are habitat generalists (they can live in many kinds of habitats, and some species have behaviors that allow them to escape freezing temperatures).grow rapidly to a large size (some individuals of these species surpass 20 ft in length and weigh more than 200 lbs).Giant constrictors share a number of additional traits that either increase the severity of likely ecological impacts or confound control and eradication efforts. They are also more likely to cause the extinction of at-risk species, since they can thrive on alternate prey as they drive the vulnerable prey to extinction. Generalist predators, such as all of the giant snakes, are considered to be a greater threat as invaders: no matter where they find themselves, they are likely to locate suitable prey. Giant constrictors have the potential to appreciably alter the natural communities of life in south Florida and beyond, possibly including large portions of the continental United States and most insular states and territories. Other feral species of giant constrictor snakes also have been sighted or caught in the wild in Florida (see box).
Boa constrictor pet names skin#
Free-ranging individuals of several additional species of non-native giant constrictors (which include anacondas, pythons, and boas) are regularly discovered in various parts of the United States, including a 95-pound boa constrictor recently captured on No Name Key in the Florida Keys after being on the loose for several years, the shed skin from a large Burmese python in extreme southern California, and a yellow anaconda ( Eunectes notaeus) from Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. Boa constrictors ( Boa constrictor) are known to be established in south Florida, and recent evidence suggests that a reproducing population of northern African pythons ( Python sebae) exists there as well. A population of Burmese pythons expanding from Everglades National Park is conservatively estimated to number in the thousands 1. The best-documented case of an invasive constrictor snake in Florida is that of the Burmese python ( Python molurus bivittatus). These snakes constitute an exceptional threat to the integrity of native ecosystems in Florida and similar environments in which they now thrive. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), FORT scientists Robert Reed and his team are investigating the ecology and control of giant constrictors in Florida. Because eradication on Guam is largely infeasible given available control tools, the brown treesnake is now the subject of efforts to prevent its spread to, and colonization of, other Pacific islands including Hawaii.Īt the request of the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Lost power sales due to snake-caused power outages can total more than $1 million per year, and this figure does not include economic damages due to impacts on business and tourism, poultry production, loss of pets, and bites to humans. This snake has caused the extirpation of 10 native species of songbirds and several species of lizards and bats on the island. For more than 20 years, they have been involved with the invasive brown treesnake ( Boiga irregularis) on the island of Guam. USGS Photo.įort Collins Science Center (FORT) scientists are intimately familiar with snake invasion research and prevention. An Everglades Park ranger holds a Burmese Python by the tail.
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