FL Everglades Travel Warning

[Francesca Knowles]

I've read about the introduced and non-native python scourge in the South...I understand that the only thing that's kept them from spreading much is climate. Too bad the starlings that came in by way of four introduced into Central Park didn't turn out to be that delicate! Coast-to-coast problem in less than a hundred years...

Sounds to me like whatever method of eradication works on the pythons should be employed, and frankly I'd think it would be a lot cleaner/safer to kill one with a machete than to blast away at it with a gun!

Francesca

[Ken C]

I also read a $1,500 prize for whoever gets the most pythons. Also, snakes on a plane is real Not just a movie.

Google images "python on plane wing" brings up the news articles.

[Bill MacDermod]

post # 19... should have said thisis python hunting month, not week, sorry bout that, Bill
,

[Bill MacDermod]

should be python hunting month instead of week

[jen b]

I was all stoked about finding and photographing some pythons during my south florida camping-photography trip I just got back from...but no dice.

[Ed Harris]

OK
So last year and the year before they had an actual hunting season on the Python in Florida for the 1st time.
You needed a permit but it was free.
They issued 1250 permits the first year and guess how many Pythons were taken on those permits?

Thats Right........0!

So now I guess Cash is Going to talk?

They are also urging humane deaths for the Pythons suggesting that chopping the head off causes THEM too much suffering as they might still live for an hour without the head?
They suggest a drill bit to the brain as the more humane method!
Who thinks this stuff up?

Oh and I caught a 5' Iguana with my Egg that year too! And without a permit!

[Donna D.]

Wonder if Vultures eat pythons? If they could be trained to do that instead of picking plastic and metal parts off cars and trailers it would be a win-win.

Ed... I still laugh when I think about your Iguana story!

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Wonder if Vultures eat pythons? If they could be trained to do that instead of picking plastic and metal parts off cars and trailers it would be a win-win.

Dear Florida:

We here at Fiberglass RV are aware that your beautiful State is presently undergoing a combined assault by members of the Animal Kingdom, namely "Vultures" and "Pythons". (We are at present leaving the scourge in South Florida called "Mickey Mouse" out of the picture)

This letter is to suggest that you immediately undertake an Effort to coat all pythons with a rubber-like compound in order to make them more attractive to Vultures than automobile rubber things presently appear to be.

Note:
The rubber-like compound should be black in color because, let's face it, that's the color of most automobile rubber. Why else would vultures eat it- or for that matter, snakes? Hello?

We expect the result to be entirely to your satisfaction.

Love and Kisses,

The Animal/Tourists' Rights Committee
Fiberglass RV.contrary

[Carol H]

Ed what did you do with the Iquana??

Donna, if they could do that it would be a win win for both problems! LOL But after reading here about the Python hunt I read up a little on the story behind it - apparently the whole reasoning for the hunt is the Python eats everything - including a whole deer in one gulp - sounds like the Vultures would just be a fast on the fly snack!

[Alf S.]

Hi: Carol H... Maybe you don't Iguana know?
Now headless Pythons might be just fine for Vultures, as I think they prefer "Dead Meat". Sounds a bit like a plot for a full Monty Python Show tho!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Cyndi B.]

I heard that vultures taking off after eating dead things is bad. You don't want to be there at lift off.

[Ed Harris]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Ed what did you do with the Iquana??

Here is the story,

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ght-40402.html

I have figured out that it was the cold weather that rendered
it "Dropped" as it was record cold that entire week and they were reported seen everywhere in PB County.

Trust me if you have never seen a 5' Iguana you do not want to either!

[Bill MacDermod]

Originally Posted by Alf S.

Hi: Carol H... Maybe you don't Iguana know?
Now headless Pythons might be just fine for Vultures, as I think they prefer "Dead Meat". Sounds a bit like a plot for a full Monty Python Show tho!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

They can't leave the carcass in the field as they have to bring them to the station so the rangers etc can research them for number of eggs, what they have eaten, weight, length, etc. they have 2 prizes, one for the most caught and the other for the longest.

[Bill MacDermod]

Originally Posted by Cyndi B.

I heard that vultures taking off after eating dead things is bad. You don't want to be there at lift off.

we camped with a couple a few of years back and at dusk we noticed the vultures started to roost in the trees around our sites. When I went out about 7 am they were long gone, went next door to the friends camper and couldn't believe the mess on their car. Well they got up about an hour later and she got sick when she saw it and when she recovered it took them about 2 solid hours to clean it up, buzzards are indeed a dirtybird

[Francesca Knowles]

You know, I'm surprised some TV types haven't jumped on the Python problem down there- you'd think the hunt combined with the environmental benefit (Save The Everglades!) would make for a great show...

Francesca

[mmeyer]

Originally Posted by Ed Harris

OK
.
They are also urging humane deaths for the Pythons suggesting that chopping the head off causes THEM too much suffering as they might still live for an hour without the head?
They suggest a drill bit to the brain as the more humane method!
Who thinks this stuff up?

I can see it now: Dozens of Air Boats lined up like a Bassmaster start containing hundreds of wader clad Nimrods preparing for a Normandy like assault on the Hummocks of the Everglades. Each carrying their favorate battery operated drill/driver in their trusty holder. And after the hunt is over they will retire to their favorite watering hole to throw back a couple of cold ones and regale each other with stories of the one that got away, or discuss the relative merits of the lower weight Hitachi DS18DBL with a .375 brad point twist bit and lifetime warranty for the quick coup de gras or the higher speed, higher torque Makita LXFD03 coupled with a 3/4" forstner bit that will make up for poor marksmanship with its larger lethal impact zone.
Michael j.

[Francesca Knowles]

I think pythons' brains are in their heads, which is more than one can say for whoever thought up that "1/2 hour of torture" nincompoopery.

If the head's gone, there's nothing to "feel/process" the pain... at least in the case of the python.

Francesca

[Bill MacDermod]

there has been 800 hunters that signed up for the month and as of this morning they have killed 11 snakes, not a lot of success even if just 1/8 of those folks showed up. Thursday is supposed to turn colder days 70's / nights mid 50's (doncha just love what they call cold in Fl) the snakes will be less active so it will probably be worse.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

You know, I'm surprised some TV types haven't jumped on the Python problem down there- you'd think the hunt combined with the environmental benefit (Save The Everglades!) would make for a great show...

Francesca

I read where someone from the TV show Animal Kingdom? suggested they were more concerned that people would die trying to kill the Python's due to either being bitten or eatten by the pythons or accidently shot by another hunter....... perhaps they feel any show done on the topic might come off more like Duck Dynaste rather than having much educational value.

[Pam Garlow]

In addition to vultures being 'dirty birds', we humans make a mess where we go too. I shudder at what happens to the native animal residents of the everglades with umpteen hunters blasting through the glades, soley focused on "killin me lots of snakes!" Its a really difficult problem to try and solve.