Burmese Python (Python bivittatus): Originally pets, Burmese pythons were released into the Florida Everglades, where they now dominate as apex predators. These massive snakes can exceed 18 feet and weigh over 200 pounds. With no natural predators, they have decimated native wildlife, including raccoons, rabbits, and deer, reducing some mammal populations by over 90%. They reproduce quickly and adapt well to wetland environments. Efforts to control them include bounty programs and detection dogs, but their cryptic nature makes eradication difficult. The python’s presence disrupts food webs and threatens endangered species like the Key Largo woodrat. This invasion highlights the risks of exotic pet trade and the fragility of delicate ecosystems.
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