Tracking Pythons

Burmese pythons are invading Florida!

These enormous snakes are native to Southeast Asia, so when one showed up dead along the side of a Florida highway in 1979, scientists wondered where it came from. No one knew the snakes had launched a full-scale invasion. Pet pythons that escaped or were released by their owners started breeding in the wild, and these enormous predators began eating every animal in their path. Despite their enormous size, these snakes are almost impossible to find. They’re prolific breeders and voracious eaters. Can anything stop them?

Travel to south Florida with author Kate Messner and follow along as Ian Bartoszek and his colleagues at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida track and capture Burmese pythons. Their innovative program uses sentinel snakes with implanted tracking devices to find other pythons. While it’s too late to eliminate these invasive animals from the ecosystem, scientists are exploring ways to keep the population in check and protect Florida’s native animals. Page Plus QR code links lead to video clips and photos of the scientists working in the field. Delve into the science of Burmese pythons and get up close with these magnificent yet harmful invaders.

“[A] fascinating example of field biology. . . . Who knew that snake science could be so adventurous?”—starred, Kirkus Reviews