TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Efforts to remove Burmese pythons from Everglades National Park are expanding with the state’s help.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has partnered to expand the federal park’s python-removal program by allowing paid state contractors to take part.
According to FWC, the expansion will triple the maximum allowed number of participants in the park from 40 to 120, allow contractors to use firearms or other humane methods to euthanize pythons in the wild, and qualify additional trained national park personnel to capture live snakes and turn them in.
Kristen Penney Sommers, with FWC’s Division of Habitat and Species Conservation, says the goal is to stop the invasive animals from expanding their current territory.
“A lot of these invasive species don’t have natural predators that will help keep their populations in check," said Sommers.
In March, Governor Rick Scott signed into law a measure aimed at reducing the number of pythons and other invasive species that cause damage in parts of the state, including the Everglades.
The law, effective July 1, sets up a pilot program targeting pythons and other invasive species.
Under the program, the commission will be able to enter contracts with people to capture or destroy the animals on public lands and in state waters.
