Here's the deal - Hurricane Andrew flattened many parts of South Florida. Both private residences and commercial institutions were all affected. Many Roadside and professional Zoos lost EVERYTHING. Mammals, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, etc. Everyone is focusing on the Burmese Pythons, but what about the feral Monkey populations? Parrots? Fish from every jungle on this Earth? All have their environmental impact. Personally, most of Florida has been so fragmented and plowed over, I don't understand what the big deal is? Habitat has been so altered that the "natural" Flora and Fauna are all but gone, and the opportunists have taken over. What was expected to happen? I say protect the few pockets of undisturbed habitat left, and stop using taxpayer dollars to try to protect and "restore" fragmented, ecologically dead, habitat. All someone has to do is setup a tannery in South Florida. Thats about the only thing that will help "control" feral Burmese Pythons. There here, their established, and they aren't going away. Play the blame game all you want. If someone were to pay per pound, or by the foot, I'm sure alot of herpers wouldn't mind helping to thin out the population.
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South Central Herpetological

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