states with suitable climate: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas Already established in: Florida, in the Everglades Had they not possessed these features, they might have constituted a low risk.īurmese python ( Python molurus) Native to: Southeast Asia, from Pakistan and India to China and Vietnam to Indonesia Size: on average, grows to 18 feet and 160 pounds Eats: terrestrial vertebrates, including lizards, birds and mammals has been known to attack and kill humans U.S.
Serve as potential hosts for parasites and diseases of economic and human health significance. Achieve high population densities (greater impact on native wildlife) andĩ. Mature rapidly and produce many offspring (females can store sperm and fertilize their eggs-which in some of these snakes can number more than 100-when conditions are favorable for bearing young) Ĩ. Are well-concealed “sit-and-wait” predators (difficult to detect, difficult to trap due to infrequent movements between hiding places) ħ. Are tolerant of urbanization (can live in urban/suburban areas) Ħ. Are arboreal (tree-living) when young, which puts birds and arboreal mammals such as squirrels and bats at risk and provide another avenue for quick dispersal of the snakes ĥ. Are dietary generalists (can eat a variety of mammals, bird, and reptiles) Ĥ. Are habitat generalists (they can live in many kinds of habitats and have behaviors that allow them to escape freezing temperatures) ģ. Grow rapidly to a large size (some individuals of these species surpass 20 feet in length and 200 pounds in weight) Ģ. There are no low risks, the USGS notes, because all nine "share several traits that increase their risk of establishment, increase the damage they might do, or make eradication difficult." (Worryingly, the report notes that there are no control tools for eradicating these species once these have become established.)ġ. There are five identified as high risk (details below) and four medium risk species (reticulated python, DeSchauensee’s anaconda, green anaconda, and Beni anaconda).
These snakes have already made their way here to the United States-as pets or hidden in cargo ( Snakes on a Plane was NONFICTION?! -Ed.), usually-and pose a threat to the ecosystems where they might or have already become established. Geological Survey analyzing the threat from nine giant snake species is possibly even worse because we're talking about GIANT SNAKES (and I'm not generally scared of snakes). Any report on invasive species is bound to have bad news, it seems, and a new report from the U.S.