Invasive Snake Everglades: Current Python Population and Spread
The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is the primary invasive snake in the Everglades, with population estimates ranging from tens of thousands to over 100,000 individuals in South Florida. The United States Geological Survey and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission classify the species as established and reproducing in the wild, with the core range centered in Miami-Dade, Collier, and Hendry counties.
Genetic studies and road surveys indicate the population has expanded northward into areas such as the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and westward into the Big Cypress National Preserve. The snakes now occupy a range of over 1,000 square miles, and detection probability remains high in remote wetland areas, suggesting the established population is widespread and stable.
Ecological Impact of the Invasive Snake Everglades on Native Wildlife
Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences documents severe mammal declines in the Everglades, with observations of raccoon, opossum, and rabbit populations dropping by more than 90 percent in heavily invaded areas. Marsh rabbits, foxes, and multiple species of wading birds are also documented as frequent prey items.
The invasive snake Everglades impact extends to apex predators and endangered species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists the Key Largo woodrat and the wood stork as species at risk from python predation, and carcass surveys confirm python consumption of white-tailed deer and even alligators. Competition with native predators such as the Florida panther for prey adds further ecological pressure.
Removal Programs, Detection Technology, and Regulatory Actions
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission permits year-round harvest of Burmese pythons on private lands with landowner permission and on 25 specific public lands without a permit or hunting license. The South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission coordinate the Python Elimination Program, which employs contracted removal agents and pays incentives based on snake length.
Detection efforts now include AI-assisted thermal imaging, detector dogs trained by the National Park Service, and research into environmental DNA sampling in waterway systems. The U.S. Department of the Interior, through the Invasive Species Program, funds multi-agency python tracking and mapping initiatives. Federal regulations also restrict the importation and interstate transportation of Burmese pythons under the Lacey Act.