Walking with the Alligators

Walking with the Alligators
A Florida Alligator

November 27, 2011

There Are Two sides to the Python Dilemma in Florida

Our Senator Bill Nelson has just sent a letter to President Obama asking him to speed up the process for including the Burmese and other Pythons on the FWS's injurious species list.
Now, this may seem like a positive step in the direction of eliminating a species which has become the single most destructive force in the Everglades or other sensitive Ecosystems in Florida, but wait ........
The FWS is more than just a little apprehensive about this idea, saying that this may cause even more of them to be dumped into our wild places, mostly our lakes, swamps and rivers.
If this regulation is implemented, dealers would not be able to turn the snakes over to FWS, as they have no plans for accepting them.
You can guess what the fate of the snakes will be then.
FWS says they will only have an occasional, non native species turn in, or no questions asked, "amnesty days" throughout Florida.
Most Floridians have become aware of the history of these dangerous snakes and people are abandoning them as fast as they can, wherever.
These snakes are now being dumped all over our state, killed by dealers, collectors and owners who have either become afraid of them or simply don't want to feed them anymore.
Because of all of the negative news surrounding them, Pythons are no longer the fast money makers that they used to be.
These snakes, through no fault of their own, have become an enemy to be eradicated.
Trust me, I do not care for these types of snakes, but this all seems so sick and just mean.
What we need are rules/laws in place that will stop the sale or possession of these invasive Pythons anywhere in Florida, period.
Once that is done, these money grubbers will have to look elsewhere to make a quick buck and no more snakes will be murdered or worse, dumped into the Florida Everglades or our other Ecosystems, which are right now overrun with them.
It is one giant mess.

No comments:

Post a Comment