Burmese pythons in Florida: A synthesis of biology, impacts, and management tools

By

Guzy, Jacquelyn
Falk, Bryan G.
Smith, Brian J
Willson, Jd
Reed, Robert
Aumen, Nicholas
Avery, Michael L.
Bartoszek, Ian
Campbell, Earl
Cherkiss, Michael
Claunch, Natalie M.
Currylow, Andrea
Dean, Tylan
Dixon, Jeremy
Engeman, Rick
Funck, Sarah
Gibble, Rebekah
Hengstebeck, Kodiak C.
Humphrey, John S.
Hunter, Margaret E.
Josimovich, Jillian A.
Ketterlin, Jennifer
Kirkland, Michael
Mazzotti, Frank
Mccleery, Robert
Miller, Melissa A.
Mccollister, Matthew
Parker, M. Rockwell
Pittman, Shannon E.
Rochford, Michael
Romagosa, Christina
Roybal, Art
Snow, Ray
Spencer, Mckayla
Waddle, J. Hardin
Yackel Adams, Amy A.
Hart, Kristen

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023

Original Publication

NeoBiota : advancing research on alien species and biological invasions

Volume

80

Pages

1--119

Subjects

control tools , Demography , Detection , Florida , impacts , invasive species , Python molurus bivittatus , Reptile , Suppression

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sophia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.80.90439

 

Abstract

Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are native to southeastern Asia, however, there is an established invasive population inhabiting much of southern Florida throughout the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. Pythons have severely impacted native species and ecosystems in Florida and represent one of the most intractable invasive-species management issues across the globe. The difficulty stems from a unique combination of inaccessible habitat and the cryptic and resilient nature of pythons that thrive in the subtropical environment of southern Florida, rendering them extremely challenging to detect. Here we provide a comprehensive review and synthesis of the science relevant to managing invasive Burmese pythons. We describe existing control tools and review challenges to productive research, identifying key knowledge gaps that would improve future research and decision making for python control.