Today in South Florida, we face an invasion from a silent and slithery enemy, the Burmese python. To give everyone some information on the reptile I did some fact finding on the internet (Wikipedia) to get some basic information on the size of this animal, wow was I amazed at the results. The most important item I was curious about was; is this animal venomous, which it is not. Hurray for us on that one. However, the Burmese python is one of the largest snakes in the world; it reaches lengths of up 23 feet and weights of over 200 pounds. The largest python found thus far in the Everglades was 16 feet long and weighed 152 pounds. Hatchlings range in length from 19-31 inches and can more than double in size within the first year. Burmese pythons are light colored with dark brown blotches bordered in black, and a pale belly. They grow much longer and heavier than any of Florida's native snakes the largest is the indigo snake that grows to 8.5 feet. It is estimated that these reptiles are escaped or discarded pets. State rules that went into effect this year should help prevent those less ethical individuals from dumping these creatures into our beloved eco system. The laws include a $100 annual permit to own “reptiles of concern,” and a mandatory microchip. Nevertheless, it is imperative that more be done to educate people about the problem of turning loose non-native species. In the past several decades, this species of reptile has thrived in the warm climate of the Everglades and surrounding areas of South Florida. Their numbers have since grown, with an estimated breeding population in Florida in the thousands. Pythons are likely to colonize anywhere alligators live, including North Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana. So far, reports from witnesses indicate most of the snakes have been found in Everglades National

Floods, droughts,