Assessing risks to humans from invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Wildlife Society Bulletin
By: Robert N. Reed and Ray W. Snow
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Abstract
Invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are now established across a large area of southern Florida, USA, including all of Everglades National Park (NP). The presence of these large-bodied snakes in the continental United States has attracted intense media attention, including regular reference to the possibility of these snakes preying on humans. Over the course of a decade (2003–2012), we solicited reports of apparently unprovoked strikes directed at humans in Everglades NP. We summarize the circumstances surrounding each of the 5 reported incidents, which occurred between 2006 and 2012. All strikes were directed toward biologists moving through flooded wetlands; 2 strikes resulted in minor injury and none resulted in constriction. We consider most of these strikes to be cases of “mistaken identity,” in which the python initiated a strike at a potential prey item but aborted its predatory behavior prior to constriction and ingestion. No strikes are known to have been directed at park visitors despite visitation rates averaging over one million per year during this period. We conclude that while risks to humans should not be completely discounted, the relative risk of a human being killed by a python in Everglades NP appears to be extremely low.
Suggested Citation
Reed, R., and Snow, R.W., 2014, Assessing risks to humans from invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA: Wildlife Society Bulletin, 4 p., https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.413.
ISSN: 1938-5463 (online)
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Assessing risks to humans from invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA |
| Series title | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| DOI | 10.1002/wsb.413 |
| Publication Date | February 27, 2014 |
| Year Published | 2014 |
| Language | English |
| Description | 4 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| Other Geospatial | Everglades National Park |