Why is the FWC instituting a permit program to search for Burmese pythons?This nonnative species to Florida has spread throughout the Everglades. Except for alligators and crocodiles, adult Burmese pythons have no predators in Florida. Pythons have consumed a wide variety of native and non-native wildlife, and they have the capacity to adversely impact vulnerable species, such as the Key Largo woodrat and other listed species. The FWC manages lands for wildlife on the python's northern-most range and offers permit holders the opportunity to search for and remove Burmese pythons to bring valuable data to scientists and assist in managing the species in Florida. Who is eligible to participate in the program? Applicants must have a valid Reptile of Concern license, a digital camera, and a GPS unit. Applicants must also be Florida residents and have experience handling large constrictors, catching wild snakes, euthanizing reptiles and working in remote conditions. When does the program begin? Permits will be issued beginning in January 2010. All permits issued will expire December 31, 2010. Top of page Does the permit allow the take of other reptiles? All Reptiles of Concern may be collected under this permit, which includes the Indian python, reticulated python, African rock python (both northern and southern), amethystine or scrub python, green anaconda and Nile monitor lizard. Top of page Where can the permit holders search for the Burmese python? Authorized locations to search for and remove pythons are Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area, Holey Land WMA, Rotenberger WMA and Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area. Top of page Is this a bounty program? This program will allow those with the permit to search for and remove pythons. Permit holders may sell the hide and meat (Note: Burmese pythons from Everglades National Park have been found to have very high levels of mercury and may not be recommended for human consumption), thus providing a type of "bounty." The FWC will not pay the permit holders for the pythons. Top of page What are the requirements for capture? Firearms and traps may not be used. The snakes can be captured by hand, with nets or snares. Pythons may be euthanized onsite by approved means, deposited at a location for euthanizing by a veterinarian, or transported to an approved facility to be used in research. Top of page What does the FWC hope to gain from instituting this program? When permit holders capture a Burmese python they must report the GPS location and take a digital picture of the carcass and stomach contents. FWC will study the data collected from the permit holders on the size, stomach contents and location of all collected Burmese pythons. The FWC hopes the information collected will help stop the spread of Burmese pythons in Florida. Top of page Where can I find more information about the Burmese python? - Visit MyFWC.com/Nonnatives for more information about this nonnative species.
- For more information about the Burmese Python Permit Program, send an e-mail to Pythons@MyFWC.com.
Top of page Fast Facts - Burmese pythons in the wild in Florida - Approximately 112,000 of these Asian snakes have been imported into the United States since 1990.
- Everglades National Park has been the site of suspected releases of these exotic pets, with population predictions in the tens of thousands. The National Park Service reported the removal of 311 Burmese pythons from the Everglades in 2008.
- Other pythons have been captured in Big Cypress National Preserve and Collier Seminole State Park, north of the Everglades; areas around Miami to the northeast; Key Largo to the southeast and other lands, both public and private, throughout the region.
- A recent report from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) shows that the Burmese python could survive throughout Florida. The report states that other factors, such as food and shelter, need consideration, but the "Burmese pythons and other giant constrictor snakes have shown themselves to be highly adaptable to new environments."
- A non-venomous constrictor, the Burmese python preys on native Florida species of mammals, birds and reptiles, as well as nonnative species including black rats.
- According to the National Park Service, the appetite of the Burmese python poses a serious threat to some of Florida's already endangered species. Burmese pythons have eaten Key Largo woodrats, a federally endangered species.
- The Burmese python may reach a length of 26 feet and a weight of more than 200 pounds. The largest Burmese python captured in the Everglades was 16 feet and 150 pounds. Its native habitat ranges from India to lower China, throughout the Malay Peninsula and on some islands in the East Indies. It usually lives near water.
- Although semi-aquatic, this snake is a good climber.
- Pythons lay eggs, unlike boa constrictors. A female Burmese python may lay 50-100 eggs and will wrap its body around the clutch to keep it warm and to defend the eggs against predators. The female python can raise its temperature by rhythmically twitching muscles, which generates heat and helps incubate the eggs. This incubation process may last two to three months. Once the eggs are hatched, young pythons are on their own to survive.
- The USGS and the Everglades National Park are investigating the behavior and biology of the Burmese python to get a better understanding of the snake's requirements for survival. Their findings also will assess the risk of invasion into other areas of the United States.
Top of page Fast Facts - Burmese pythons as pets in Florida - As a Reptile of Concern, Burmese pythons must be licensed by FWC's Captive Wildlife Section to be kept as a pet. The license costs $100 per year and mandates specific caging requirements. Burmese pythons more than 2 inches in diameter must be implanted with a microchip that identifies the animal. This rule applies to all Reptiles of Concern. It is unlawful to allow one to escape or to release one into the wild.
- The Burmese python is commonly kept as a pet because it is more docile than other large nonnative constrictors.
- There is a low risk of a human attack. Documented human attacks by pythons in the United States involve the snake's owner or immediate family.
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