Local wildlife disappears as giant pythons swamp Florida

[marcvader]

Yeah, I guess they were blown from out of their homes into the wilderness. You know those rogue gusts can be a doozy.

 

[Mace Bloodstone]

umm Katrina was only a small category 1 / tropical storm when it crossed Florida.

Maybe he meant hurricane andrew in 1992.

 

[Erzengel]

umm Katrina was only a small category 1 / tropical storm when it crossed Florida.

That's what they were discussing on the news.

 

[NHawk19]

Really? I didnt think there was that much damage reported. Normally everything down there can take a Cat 1 no problem.

When I lived down that way I always remember them discussing people dumping exotic pets. I know Insects and other things are also an issue due to the large amount of fruit that passes through the harbors down there as well.

 

[marcvader]

I live down here in Miami and I could tell you we always get reports on this subject every bee months and its usually attributed to pet owners that no longer can handle such large snakes. They breed well in this environment as well.

 

[NHawk19]

I lived in Ft Myers for a couple years and I always remember seeing stuff like that on the news. With how much of a problem it is, you'd think by now they'd have required permits or something before people can buy that stuff

 

[Spider-Vader]

While I don't have a fear of snakes and am quite fond of them, I think it's really irresponsible for these pet owners to just let them go. It's not their natural environment and SOMEHOW needs to be resolved. This is one case where i'd be okay with hunting, if it's to protect the other wild life.

Actually, most of the snakes escaped during hurricanes & whatnot from what I've read/watched. Though, I'm sure a bunch of them were just carelessly let go by their owners.

I lived in Ft Myers for a couple years and I always remember seeing stuff like that on the news. With how much of a problem it is, you'd think by now they'd have required permits or something before people can buy that stuff

The problem isn't just a bunch of people releasing their snakes. It's that the snakes already out in the wild are reproducing rapidly.

 

[kane9321]

i heard this on the radio this morning...scary

 

[NHawk19]

The problem isn't just a bunch of people releasing their snakes. It's that the snakes already out in the wild are reproducing rapidly.

Which is why earlier I suggested permitting to try and slow the amount being set free & hunting to try to control the existing population

 

[Erzengel]

Help control the snake population. Have your snakes spayed and neutered.

 

[NHawk19]

There's your new government job. Snake penis inspector.

 

[Erzengel]

Just give me a steel boot and I can get the job down.

 

[NHawk19]

you government employees want everything for free dont you Next you'll want anti-venom and bandaids

 

[Erzengel]

Can't talk right now. On a break.

 

[NHawk19]

Guess this means you've started organizing the union then.

 

[SuperFerret]

Meh, I'm still not impressed.

Good thing I'm not doing a handstand then.

It is a matter of predatory species not native at a particular environment going after other species that are not accustomed to them.

For example, bird Dodo became extinct in Australia as it was hunted down by humans (who can be assumed as predators, in this case.), it was not accustomed to the sudden attacks by new predators and was not prepared for it, it is certainly not natural.

Please define "natural". You do know that every species in every ecosystem on this planet was at one time new to their environment, right? The dodo wasn't able to adapt to the new paradigm that faced it when a new predator migrated into its habitat, therefore it went extinct.

Like I said before, **** happens, and let's be honest, you only care for one of two incorrect reasons:

1. You have that all too common habit of thinking in terms of the individual.
2. You like the idea of the Everglades being how it was in your grandfather's day (i.e. Conservative Environmentalism).

The world is changing, it changes every single day. Talking about this as if it were a bad thing shows a gross misunderstanding of how the planet works.