Florida's governor asked wildlife officials to begin trapping pythons right away. The governor issued the request after a 2 year old girl was strangled to death by a python that escaped from its cage. Typical government knee jerk reaction to a news story. Not saying this is a bad call just that they are now doing the right thing for the wrong reason. The python in that killed the girl was a pet living in a house with its owners. The call to kill wild pythons living in Florida is really unrelated to that issue.
But this is an unrelated issue that should have been dealt with long ago. Florida, especially south Florida is under attack not just from snakes but lizards and fish and plants that don't belong there but were brought over from other countries mainly as pets. They liked sunny Florida and desided to stay.
Problem is they are putting a big strain an a number of native animals that are flirting with the idea of extinction. So finally Florida is taking some action to try to reduce the estimated 150,000 Burmese Pythons that now call Florida home.
Although Florida is taking action it is a bit on the meek side if you ask me. initially about 10 hunters would be permitted to hunt the snakes which can grow to 26ft long and weight as much as 200 pounds, although most are much smaller.
The hunters are not allowed to use firearms or traps!!! They must capture and later euthanize the snakes. They say they are trying to prevent the spread of the snakes before the problem get much worse and moves further north.
Ummm... how about allow anyone to kill any pythons, or iguana's for that matter, on site by any means. You want them all dead right? You probably know that that will not be an easy task and is most likely impossible to accomplish so why not just allow or even require the killing of all pythons in Florida anytime the opportunity presents itself.
This first trial hunt will last 3 months at which time the results will be evaluated to see what the next step will be. Could there possibly be a fall python season in Florida future? Unless Florida gets on the ball and moves more quickly to stomp out this problem they may not have a choice.
