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Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Everglades

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By Fort Collins Science Center February 11, 2023

Invasive species are considered to be second only to habitat degradation in terms of negative impacts on the Earth’s ecosystems, and our scientists make up a significant proportion of the global expertise in the rapidly-growing problem of invasive reptiles.

Media
A Burmese python slithering in the grass in the Everglades.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
A Burmese python slithering in the grass in the Everglades. Photo by Emma Hanslowe, USGS.

 

 

FORT's invasive reptile research in Florida focuses on understanding impacts and developing adaptive control opportunities for Burmese pythons and other recent invaders such as black and white tegus. Branch scientists combine extensive herpetological expertise with cutting-edge quantitative skills to inform and estimate detection probability, population size, and eradication prospects for a range of invasive reptiles. Projects and collaborators span across the United States mainland to Pacific islands.

Below are other science projects associated with this project.

Below are publications associated with this project.

Filter Total Items: 40

Snakes in the wrong places: Gordon Rodda’s career in invasive species research Snakes in the wrong places: Gordon Rodda’s career in invasive species research

When USGS research zoologist Gordon G. Rodda was a graduate student at Cornell University studying behavioral biology of alligators —or later, completing a post-doc at the Smithsonian Institute studying the social behavior of green iguanas in Venezuela or following that, as a statistics and sociobiology instructor at the University of Tennessee—he did not foresee that his professional...
Authors
Jim Wilson

Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida

A recent record cold spell in southern Florida (2–11 January 2010) provided an opportunity to evaluate responses of an established population of Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) to a prolonged period of unusually cold weather. We observed behavior, characterized thermal biology, determined fate of radio-telemetered (n = 10) and non-telemetered (n = 104) Burmese pythons, and...
Authors
Frank J. Mazzotti, Michael S. Cherkiss, Kristen M. Hart, Ray W. Snow, Michael R. Rochford, Michael E. Dorcas, Robert N. Reed
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Fort Collins Science Center

A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida

Context: Invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are established over thousands of square kilometres of southern Florida, USA, and consume a wide range of native vertebrates. Few tools are available to control the python population, and none of the available tools have been validated in the field to assess capture success as a proportion of pythons available to be captured...
Authors
Robert N. Reed, Kristen M. Hart, Gordon H. Rodda, Frank J. Mazzotti, Ray W. Snow, Michael Cherkiss, Rondald Rozar, Scott Goetz
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Python sebae (Northern African Python or African Rock Python) Python sebae (Northern African Python or African Rock Python)

No abstract available.
Authors
R.N. Reed, D. Giardina, T. Pernas, D. Hazelton, J.G. Dozier, J. Prieto, R.W. Snow, K.L. Krysko

Burmese Pythons and other giant constrictors Burmese Pythons and other giant constrictors

No abstract available.
Authors
Robert N. Reed, Gordon H. Rodda

Challenges in identifying sites climatically matched to the native ranges of animal invaders Challenges in identifying sites climatically matched to the native ranges of animal invaders

Background: Species distribution models are often used to characterize a species' native range climate, so as to identify sites elsewhere in the world that may be climatically similar and therefore at risk of invasion by the species. This endeavor provoked intense public controversy over recent attempts to model areas at risk of invasion by the Indian Python (Python molurus). We...
Authors
G.H. Rodda, C. S. Jarnevich, R.N. Reed

Invasive species are considered to be second only to habitat degradation in terms of negative impacts on the Earth’s ecosystems, and our scientists make up a significant proportion of the global expertise in the rapidly-growing problem of invasive reptiles.

Media
A Burmese python slithering in the grass in the Everglades.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
A Burmese python slithering in the grass in the Everglades. Photo by Emma Hanslowe, USGS.

 

 

FORT's invasive reptile research in Florida focuses on understanding impacts and developing adaptive control opportunities for Burmese pythons and other recent invaders such as black and white tegus. Branch scientists combine extensive herpetological expertise with cutting-edge quantitative skills to inform and estimate detection probability, population size, and eradication prospects for a range of invasive reptiles. Projects and collaborators span across the United States mainland to Pacific islands.

Below are other science projects associated with this project.

Below are publications associated with this project.

Filter Total Items: 40

Snakes in the wrong places: Gordon Rodda’s career in invasive species research Snakes in the wrong places: Gordon Rodda’s career in invasive species research

When USGS research zoologist Gordon G. Rodda was a graduate student at Cornell University studying behavioral biology of alligators —or later, completing a post-doc at the Smithsonian Institute studying the social behavior of green iguanas in Venezuela or following that, as a statistics and sociobiology instructor at the University of Tennessee—he did not foresee that his professional...
Authors
Jim Wilson

Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida

A recent record cold spell in southern Florida (2–11 January 2010) provided an opportunity to evaluate responses of an established population of Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) to a prolonged period of unusually cold weather. We observed behavior, characterized thermal biology, determined fate of radio-telemetered (n = 10) and non-telemetered (n = 104) Burmese pythons, and...
Authors
Frank J. Mazzotti, Michael S. Cherkiss, Kristen M. Hart, Ray W. Snow, Michael R. Rochford, Michael E. Dorcas, Robert N. Reed
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Fort Collins Science Center

A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida

Context: Invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are established over thousands of square kilometres of southern Florida, USA, and consume a wide range of native vertebrates. Few tools are available to control the python population, and none of the available tools have been validated in the field to assess capture success as a proportion of pythons available to be captured...
Authors
Robert N. Reed, Kristen M. Hart, Gordon H. Rodda, Frank J. Mazzotti, Ray W. Snow, Michael Cherkiss, Rondald Rozar, Scott Goetz
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Python sebae (Northern African Python or African Rock Python) Python sebae (Northern African Python or African Rock Python)

No abstract available.
Authors
R.N. Reed, D. Giardina, T. Pernas, D. Hazelton, J.G. Dozier, J. Prieto, R.W. Snow, K.L. Krysko

Burmese Pythons and other giant constrictors Burmese Pythons and other giant constrictors

No abstract available.
Authors
Robert N. Reed, Gordon H. Rodda

Challenges in identifying sites climatically matched to the native ranges of animal invaders Challenges in identifying sites climatically matched to the native ranges of animal invaders

Background: Species distribution models are often used to characterize a species' native range climate, so as to identify sites elsewhere in the world that may be climatically similar and therefore at risk of invasion by the species. This endeavor provoked intense public controversy over recent attempts to model areas at risk of invasion by the Indian Python (Python molurus). We...
Authors
G.H. Rodda, C. S. Jarnevich, R.N. Reed
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