Managing Non-Native Burmese Pythons in Southern Florida

The state of Florida is working to control invasive Burmese pythons to reduce their impact on native species in the Everglades National Park. This project aimed to identify effective techniques for detecting and removing Burmese pythons, controlling their spread, and educating local partners about their impacts. Researchers used environmental DNA to detect pythons, trained detection dogs, implanted radio transmitters, and developed large traps to capture pythons. They also hosted public awareness campaigns and allowed owners to relinquish pet pythons without penalties. Since 2000, approximately 15,000 pythons have been reported, and over 9,000 have been removed.