Don't know where to start to answer you, but why not the beginning.

To me the python controversy,started with the misunderstanding by python and boa breeders and owners of the USGS papers, which were meant to be speculations of what might happen, if certain other things happen, like really extreme climate change, Rising of ocean levels that turned most of the southern US coast into swamps. Increase in release of ex-pets. A lot of things had to fall into place for pythons to wind up in SF. And they included Long Island.

They also said that there were a lot of obstacles already in place for it to not happen, natural and man made. roads, development, mountains, etc.

What made it all worse was the media picked it up. Sensationalized it. And there was the Burmese python and the gator that Nat Geo even made a documentary on.

But, even before then, no one was talking to anyone. Barker's papers, though I like him personally, and respect his knowledge on the care and breeding of all pythons, radicalized the pet side. People always quote them. But they are not scientifically based, CHS does not do any peer reviewing, they are op-eds. And he falls into the same trap the media did in looking toward the extreme, and he sometimes was really insulting.

I mean he was taking on Gordon Rhodda who is probably the world's expert on harmful invasive snakes having worked on the Brown Snake problem in Guam for almost 20 years.

So for good reason, no one in the scientific community takes the CHS papers seriously.

As for DNA, don't know of any samples taken. Can't imagine the US government spending the necessary money in the past 8 years to take enough DNA samples to do a real representative study.

Also I would expect the DNA samples to be similar, you know the industry, certain animals come from certain places overseas. Usually one person who has the only export permit. And all the species mentioned have been successfully breed here, many times over.

As for your Hurricane Andrew theory. Quite possible. But the snakes are already spreading north and south. The problem is already here.

I am waiting for another Hurricane Andrew to happen to Florida. All metrologists say that in the coming years, there will probably be as many, or less hurricanes, but the ones that do happen will be levels 3 and up.

BUT YOUR REAL QUESTION

Want to get the scientists and snake-lovers back together? TSA is a model. But they had a disaster, The Chinese buying up every turtle in Asia, to force them to work together. I was involved in the beginning, the first informal meeting on the issue, and also helped Bill McCord get that first video out to everyone.

You need a broker. Someone both sides trust. Knows the issues well to get a dialogue going. Start by getting people to agree on small things. Find areas in the python question people can agree with. Help them find solutions. Earn trust.

IHS could be a good place to recruit people, Daytona? Even SSAR.
And be careful whom you enlist, a lot of snake people have bad reputations when it comes to the law and conservation. Earned and unearned.

AN IDEA. OLD ONE ACTUALLY. ONE I STOPPED PROPOSING LONG AGO. When i use to go to daytona, orlando, parc meetings.etc.

Get Zoo people to act as intermediaries between the enforcement officers, scientists, and breeders and hobbyists.
Why IHS is probably a good place. (yes i know there are, were, crooked zoo people, butits a start.)

Hope I've answered some of your questions. And maybe gave you some ideas to get everyone working together.

As always the above represents my personal thoughts, NOT HERPDIGEST. The thoughts of someone who owns a ball python, rehabbed more than snakes and herps he could count, and owns some turtles for almost 20 years now.

Good luck.

By the way did your friend like the Iguana University Diploma you bought from HerpArts.com last year?

AS

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