Florida’s Everglades National Forest is known for its rich wildlife. From the white ibis to the white-tailed deer and the Florida panther, many animals are found in this unique and diverse wetland ecosystem.

Unfortunately, these animals' habitat is fast disappearing. Humans are responsible for draining the Everglades swamps and endangering nearly seventy-three species of animals.

However, a decade ago, it was discovered that another culprit had started destroying the ecosystem - Burmese pythons!

An Invasive Species

The Burmese pythons which are native to Southeast Asia are killing animals that are native to the Everglades at an alarming rate. To stop this, the state of Florida has sought help from the snake hunters of India.

But why bother to hunt these snakes? Because the Burmese snakes are an invasive species. An invasive species is a non-native or alien species that is introduced to an environment. This species is not a part of the normal ecosystem.

Since these invasive species do not have any natural predators in the new environments, they can prey on native species easily. This makes them incredibly dangerous to the health of the ecosystem. 

The Burmese pythons were probably introduced in the 1980s when some people who had these snakes as pets decided to release them. The pythons, which can grow up to 20 feet in length, consume all kinds of animals -- from rodents to deer and even alligators!

Stopping The Pythons

Since 2002, park authorities have removed nearly 2000 pythons. Experts also worry about the problem of hybrid super snakes should these Burmese pythons mate with the African pythons. The new hybrid species could turn out to be more hardy, vicious, and powerful.

The park authorities have also hired two experienced snake hunters from the Irula tribe of India to catch the snakes as quickly as possible. In fact, with the help of detection dogs to track the snakes, they have already caught thirteen pythons in two weeks. Let’s hope that they catch the remaining 5000 to 10000 snakes soon!