UPDATE: Here is a picture of python recently caught in Florida. This baby is HUGE! According to scientist, another breed of snake has also been released into the Everglades, the African Rock Snake which is a very aggressive species. The government and scientists are afraid the two snakes, which have been known to breed in captivity, might breed in the wild producing a particularly aggressive and deadly snake capable of reaching phenominal lengths.
The rock python “is mean right out of the egg, and they don’t ever tame down,” says Kenneth Krysko, a senior biologist at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
There is now an estimated 30,000+ pythons in the Everglades. Officials have recently captured 5 African Rock Snakes in the area around the Everglades. Eight pythons were captured in the Florida Keys causing Marathon Key to start a Python Patrol – outdoor workers such as utility people were trained on how to detect and capture the snakes as they go about their daily business.
Two pythons that were killed by officials recently had five foot aligators in their stomachs. The situation is becoming more grim as autopsied snakes reveal meals of endangered species who have no way to defend themselves against the hungry python.
Original post from 4/22/09:
People get baby pythons for pets without realizing that the cute little guys will become six foot or larger snakes in about a year’s time. Rather than have the snakes put to sleep, the owners are releasing them into the refuge of the Everglades and warmer states.
These well meaning but stupid people do not realize that our ecology was not set up for pythons. Our Everglades are home to several species that are on the protected list and near extinction. These species have no defense against the pythons that can grow into an awesome 26 foot eating machine in short order. They are even attacking and killing the alligators though they get a fatal case of indigestion if they swallow one.
Ecologists estimate there are approximately 30,000 pythons in the Everglades at this point – each one capable of laying 100 eggs.
A python over six feet is capable of killing a human and one over 20 feet can actually swallow a human whole. Ha, you thought “Anaconda” was just a movie, didn’t you?
So far the park service has captured 154 pythons this year. Reports are that the pythons are beginning to migrate north and, if left unchecked, will take over the Florida ecosystem.
Arizona is also having the same problem with pythons and actually are seeing alligators in the Colorado River where it runs through the canyons. People are releasing these pets into the wild and because the state is so arid and dry, the reptiles are thriving.
Seriously folks, do we have to ruin everything we touch? If you don’t want your eight foot python anymore, do the right thing for all the other animals in the world (including humans) and have it put to sleep. Nature is having a hard enough time trying to recover from our continual raping of her resources – she can’t be expected to combat species that were never meant to invade the area too. Common sense, people. 
There’s no need to put these hungry, yet docile creatures to sleep. The truely right thing to do would be to donate these animals to Zoo’s or Serpentariums. The main case in which people give up a burmese python, like the ones being released into the everglades, is because of being mis-informed on the eating habbits of these gentle giants, and also treating them as a house hold pet rather than an exotic pet. Not only that, snakes of amazing life spans when well cared for and some people just can’t handle the expense [which carries over from eating habbits].
So I rebuddle your comment to kill these creatures, when we have more than enough resources to relocate them. You would be no better than the owners releasing them into an unfit ecosystem.
Jason, you are no doubt correct in that the right thing to do would be to donate these snakes to a zoo. I accept your rebuttal.
My love and concern is for the alligators and other Everglade native species. I understand it is not the pythons fault that their ignorant owner released them into the Everglade ecosystem – but understanding that does not make the ecosystem any safer from these large carnivores. It irritates me to no end that humans are such bad stewards of this earth.
The constant eradication of these giant snakes, known as the big teddy bears of the snake family is not needed! Jason’s comment is very reasonable and smart. Many zoos would be happy to take in these magnificent snakes. However many zoos around these locations are a where of this problem of invasive species and may be over run with these animals. The best thing to do is either this or release them back into there natural and native location in Asia.
I am completely and totally in love with reptiles any and all reptiles have been since i was 3 years old…
and knowing that people can just throw out a snake or any other animal for that matter really shows peoples true colors seriously. Good for you fine people on here trying to make life easier for our misunderstood animal kin. Humans are the intelligent race so rather than using our knowledge for greed and money we should use it to help conservate the earth, keep every living thing safe and sound as we expect other people to watch out for us…. keep up the good work my friends and soon maybe the rest of the world will follow in your footsteps
i think that it is a great idea to have the python put to sleep
if they don’t want it anymore.I mean God made other place for snake, and besides if the plan was to release the snake in to the wild then why on Gods green earth did the get the animal in the first place. they aren’t doing the world any better by letting it go
and they think that the people that want to protect are planet are crazy well they got another thing coming. they are the bad owners that let them go,the are putting live in danger.