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Reptile & Amphibian
News Blog Keep up with news and features of interest to the reptile and amphibian community on the kingsnake.com blog. We cover breaking stories from the mainstream and scientific media, user-submitted photos and videos, and feature articles and photos by Jeff Barringer, Richard Bartlett, and other herpetologists and herpetoculturists.
Saturday, September 25 2010Study: Pythons won't survive outside of Florida It'll come as a disappointment to the media, no doubt, but it looks like giant Burmese Pythons aren't going to flood out of the Everglades and take over half the United States after all.The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) study is completed, and the findings are clear -- and no surprise at all to those who know anything about Burmese Pythons. From the Aikenstandard.com: Of the 10 pythons tracked, none survived the winter, all succumbing to one of the most brutal winters on record in South Carolina. The study initially drew fire from the reptile community because of the provision of artificial dens, food being provided as opposed to the snakes having to fend for themselves, and warmer temperatures caused by run-off from the local power plant. Even with all those factors taken into account, however, the pythons still did not survive the winter. To read the study, click here. Just a warning, the full study will cost $34.00. The abstract, however, is presented in its entirety after the bump.
SREL Abstract
Understanding potential for range expansion is critical when evaluating the risk posed by invasive species. Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are established in southern Florida and pose a significant threat to native ecosystems. Recent studies indicate that climate suitable for the species P. molurus exists throughout much of the southern United States. We examined survivorship, thermal biology, and behavior of Burmese pythons from South Florida in a semi-natural enclosure in South Carolina, where winters are appreciably cooler than in Florida, but within the predicted region of suitable climate. All pythons acclimated to the enclosure, but most died after failing to seek appropriate refugia during sub-freezing weather. The remaining snakes used refugia but died during an unusually cold period in January 2010. Although all snakes died during the study, most survived extended periods at temperatures below those typical of southern Florida and none exhibited obvious signs of disease. Our study represents a first step in evaluating the results of climate matching models and we address factors that may affect range expansion in this invasive species. |
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How warm was the "cover" you provided the snakes? Months at 60 degree temps will kill them.
But, then again, what do I know? I'm simply a lowly snake owner. And, being one, I know that it's harder to kill a subtropical species of snake kept at cold temperatures than it does with too much heat.
It takes months and months of temps being too cold for the snake to starve to death. You see, when it's too cold, they won't eat, or if they do eat, they won't be able to digest their food.
IMO your "study" was nothing more than animal abuse and a huge waste of money.
Let's put dogs n cats outside in temps too cold for them to survive and see how many months it takes them to die.
Why don't you listen to the people who actually keep and breed these magnificant animals? If they could be kept at 60 degrees, then every Burmese python owner would be ecstatic....
I'm thinking of the savings on my electric bill. I keep my python room at 80 degrees year round and they all have spot heating up to 92 degrees. Silly me.
the study was done to see if burmese pythons had the potential to become a nationwide pest as the usfw, animal planet, and peta suggested. be glad it was done, as it shows your pet is not the threat it was being made out to be by these groups. you are aware these groups were trying to make possession of these illegal referencing made-up nonsense, yes?
Oh yea.... as if the thousands of snake keepers nationwide couldn't tell ya the truth...
Hearsay(ergo "what snake keepers tell ya"), does nothing to sway scientists, legislators, or laws. These entities more than "like proof," they REQUIRE PROOF.
This study is PRICELESS, as it refutes erroneous scientific research papers currently thrown about the federal government. These erroneous reports are seen as gospel, and used to back the draconian legislation being proposed.
Without proper research reports, these erroneous scientific papers are ALL legislators can use.
It certainly was not a waste of money if you like keeping these reptiles, and wish to continue in the future.
Your comments seem illogical, as the only people who would say this research is a waste of money would be those groups who believe having these reptiles is somehow inherently "wrong."
Ultimately, the only thing which matters is properly executed research publications which have followed the scientific method.