TreeHugger carried some interesting posts this week, and I nearly missed out on this one, detailing the recent sightings of African rock pythons in the Everglades. Florida already has an established population of invasive Burmese pythons. Apparently some state officials are concerned that it would be possible for the rock pythons and the Burmese to interbreed and create a “super snake” species. (I’m partial to the name Brock python for the new hybrids.)
From my viewpoint, this seems a bit overblown. Are invasive species an enormous problem? Definitely. Should we be concerned? Surely. Is there any reason to highlight the fact that both species are known to eat large game and have been reported to attack children? Mmmm.. probably not. Afterall, the kids have to actually be out in the Everglades to begin with and, as we well know, most parents don’t trust their python-meal-sized toddlers and eight-year-olds in the backyard, much less wetland wilderness.
Perhaps that sentiment seems strange coming from an environmental educator, but its no less than the truth. There are plenty of potentially dangerous wildlife in Florida already - American crocodiles, American alligators, bull sharks, etc. There doesn’t really seem to be a reason to highlight this potential human impact when considering a “super snake” situation. Are we really suggesting that a Brock python would aggressively target human children as they wandered by on their way to school?
I think its much more reasonable, and potentially positive, to focus on the impacts that this new species could have on native wildlife within the Everglades system. Will they target juvenile alligators? Will they eat bobcats? Might they go after white tailed deer, gray foxes, sandhill cranes, wood stork nestlings, or indigo snakes? How much of the Everglades is truly rock python suitable habitat? Are any of our current predators going to be interested in eating them? How fast do they reproduce? Can they survive Florida’s winter extremes and seasonal patterns of waterfall?
Until we can answer some of the serious questions concerning invasive species management, I just don’t see a reason to get anxious and worked up about a “super snake” hybrid.
The annual synoptic aerial survey for manatees in state of Florida waters came in officially yesterday with a whopping all-time high count of the cows: 5,067!!
I was lucky enough to spend time at Haulover Canal today, just north of the Titusville area and the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge system, watching two manatees pull up giant mouthfuls of manatee grass and talking to tourists visiting the area who had dozens of questions about the mammals. I wish I had known at the time that the survey results had been so dramatically positive.. I would have practically ran around to anyone who would listen yelling the news!
Cold stun sea turtles continue to dominate the conservation news here in Florida. Many zoos, aquariums, and wildlife centers - even Disney’s Animal Kingdom - are assisting with warming up stunned turtles prior to their eventual release. Many of the smaller centers and nonprofit institutions are keeping up admirably with the enormous demand of their new patients, including the Loggerhead Marinelife Center based in Juno Beach, Florida. Currently their patient load is twenty-four with over 70 turtles treated so far from the event.
As I mentioned before the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the Marine Science Center, alongside the LMC, will all need assistance and supplies to continue their efforts on behalf of wildlife in the state of Florida. If you are local all three centers have posted supply wish lists to their websites, and if you are not local enough to make a drop off donation, please do consider becoming a member of these centers or to donate directly to their rescue funds. Without the support of the community nonprofits like these simply can’t operate throughout the year.
OnEarth also had a quick view into the turtle situation unfolding here in Florida. They’re claiming upwards of 5,000 turtles were effected by the event.
Posted
on January 19, 2010, 2:32 pm,
by Sarah,
under fun with fins.
By drawing some deep parallels and contrasts between humans and animals Professor Robert Sapolsky makes some fascinating connections in this talk filmed at Stanford University and highlighted by TED’s Best of the Web feature earlier this week. I particularly loved the mention of stickleback behavior (of course) but the final thoughts on culture - as the nongenetic transmission of behavioral styles to the next generation - really sparked my interest. I regularly talk about highly social and investigative (if not intelligent, curious, and playful) marine mammals. The idea of discussing their social groups as possessing a “culture” is a tricky one that still has not caught on strongly in environmental education circles. There is a very fine line between anthropomorphizing and drawing parallels.
I think Sapolsky does a fine job of highlighting sameness to draw a contrast on differences, and its a style of presenting facts that I’m hoping to emulate at some point in the future. When it comes down to it, its hard to avoid anthropomorphizing animals that show strong similarities to our own behavioral habits. Particularly when it is possible to see rudimentary behaviors that expose theory of mind, empathy, and tit-for-tat cooperation styles.
Here’s hoping this new TED feature continues to shine a spotlight on great talks and intriguing ideas, even when they weren’t officially hosted by TED events themselves.
The aftereffects of our unseasonable cold snap over the last two weeks are still rolling in here in Florida. I have not seen a lot of dead fish in the Lagoon system on my outings but significant fish kills have been reported from saltwater estuaries as well as freshwater lakes and canals due to the freezing temperatures. The fish kills were so widespread for some species that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission decided yesterday to temporarily soft-close the saltwater fisheries for some of Florida’s most sought-after species: tarpon, bonefish, and snook.
I’m interested to see, during my shore cleanup planned for tomorrow, if I run across carcasses in the mangroves. Here’s hoping that the pelicans, osprey, hermit crabs, crown conch, black vultures, and other members of nature’s cleanup crew have been hard at work keeping the shorelines from being overrun with rotting frozen fish.
