In the battle vs. invasive Burmese pythons, Florida turns to possums [View all]

Possums have become crucial players in conservation initiatives in Florida, helping control the highly destructive population of non-native Burmese pythons.

Collaborative research led by biologists A.J. Sanjar and Michael Cove has enhanced possum-based tracking technology to identify and manage displaced pythons in the Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Key Largo, Florida, according to CBS12.

Originating from South Asia, the pythons were brought to Florida through the exotic pet trade and have moved northward from the Everglades. These snakes can grow up to 19 feet long and have posed a significant threat to the local ecosystem since their introduction in the 2000s.

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Researchers are placing tracking collars on possums that the snakes feed on, and the collars alert them when the possum dies. They can then track the collar and remove the snakes from the ecosystem. Their focus is on taking big breeder pythons, which lay 30-60 eggs each spring.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/battle-vs-invasive-burmese-pythons-220000832.html