USGS: Giant Snakes are Invading the U.S.!
Posted by Andrew on October 13th, 2009
Apparently it’s snake week here at Weird Things, previously we reported on researchers discovering the stomping grounds of the largest snake ever, Titanboa. Now comes some fun news from the U.S. Geological Survey: We’re being invaded by giant snakes!
High-risk species—Burmese pythons, northern and southern African pythons, boa constrictors and yellow anacondas—put larger portions of the U.S. mainland at risk
It gets better!
Two of these species are documented as reproducing in the wild in South Florida, with population estimates for Burmese pythons in the tens of thousands.
That’s right, tens of thousands.
Just how long can a Burmese python get?
According to Wikipedia: A Burmese Python at the Serpent Safari Reptile Zoo in Gurnee, Illinois , USA was billed as the heaviest living snake in captivity. In 2005, it weighed 183 kilograms (403 lb) at a length of 8.2 metres (27 ft).
Get ready for thousands and thousands of giant snakes South Florida. Sidenote: Weird Things is looking for a desert climate to relocate to.
link: Science Daily: Report Documents Risks Of Giant Invasive Snakes In The United States
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October 14th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
There's a great paper written by David and Tracy Barker you should read on this subject. I suspect that the South Florida media have greatly exaggerated the numbers on the exotic snake population.
October 14th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Tell that to my friend who watched his dog get dragged away in a public park in broad daylight by a snake….
Thank god for that park ranger….capnloogie……
October 15th, 2009 at 3:08 am
There's a great paper written by David and Tracy Barker you should read on this subject. I suspect that the South Florida media have greatly exaggerated the numbers on the exotic snake population.
October 15th, 2009 at 3:10 am
Tell that to my friend who watched his dog get dragged away in a public park in broad daylight by a snake….
Thank god for that park ranger….capnloogie……