Warming United States Ideal Habitat For Invasive Burmese Pythons - Gannett

[hatrack]

As climate change warms the nation, giant Burmese pythons could colonize one-third of the United States, from San Francisco, across the Southwest, Texas and the South and up north as far as the Virginia coast, according to U.S. Geological Survey maps released Wednesday. The pythons can be 20 feet long and weigh 250 pounds. They are highly adaptable to new environments, which is a particular concern to federal officials who say that snakes in general are often dumped by people who can no longer care for them as pets.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and USGS is investigating the range of nine invasive snakes in Florida, concerned about the danger they presently pose to endangered species. The agencies are collecting data to aid in the control of these snake populations.

They looked at Burmese pythons first and, based on where they live in Asia, estimated where they might live here. One of the USGS maps shows where the pythons could live today, an area that expands when scientists use global warming models for 2100.
"We were surprised by the map. It was bigger than we thought it was going to be," says Gordon Rodda, a USGS zoologist and lead researcher on the project. "They are moving northward, there's no question."

Burmese pythons were introduced to this country as part of the pet trade. The first specimens in the wild were discovered in the mid-1990s in the Florida Everglades, released by owners who no longer wanted them, says Skip Snow, a wildlife biologist with the National Parks Service in the Everglades.

EDIT

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080221/NEWS01/802210312/1002

[dbackjon]

1. They should be illegal to buy/sell/import/keep

[malakai2]

7. Of course

But good luck getting economic interests (pet, horticultural, and agricultural sectors for starters) in America to move to a restrictive clean list of allowable imports rather than the current system where anything goes unless it's on the tiny list of restricted imports. It's interesting that they even both with the dirty list, because in order to list something as injurious it pretty much needs to escape captivity and cause demonstrable economic harm before it goes on the list, and even then a strong lobbying effort can delay that for a long time. Look at bighead carp-by the time they got around to adding that obviously problematic critter to the restricted list, over the objections of the aquaculture industry, the damage was already a foregone conclusion.

[shain from kane]

2. Maybe we can teach them how to pick fruits and vegetables. n/t

[phantom power]

3. Or better yet, teach them how to eat mosquitos.

[juajen]

4. If they multiply, we won't have to worry about mosquitos.

NT

[Adsos Letter]

5. We are gonna' need a bigger boat...n/t

[XemaSab]

6. This is both awesome and appalling at the same time

:dilemma:

[bananas]

8. Here are the maps on the USGS website

Larger maps at the link: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1875

2008: 2100:

[Itchinjim]

9. Oh no, Snakes on the Plains!

n/t

[Bosso 63]

10. Now that's funny!

[depakid]

11. Impressive beasts

Here one has burst from eating a large alligator:



Toddlers and pets- no problem.

[Generic Brad]

12. The pythons need to wait their turn and get in line

I'm still waiting to be invaded by African killer bees.

[diane in sf]

13. Be afraid! Be very afraid!!!