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A research article has been written that disproves the wild claims regarding Burmese Pythons made by Rodda. Here is a link to this new paper written by several hail fellows:

Claims of Potential Expansion throughout the U.S. by Invasive Python Species Are Contradicted by Ecological Niche Models

This is only par of what is needed. Along with science we need to all be active in every action that is available to each of us to protect our rights as herpetoculturists. We win with the science every time. Now all that is needed is each of us to grab an oar and row! When the opportunity arises, get up!
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Hats off to the Department of Biology at The City University of New York!!!

The sad thing is that this "factual" report won't even get 10% of the media coverage Rodda's trash got.

Anyone contacting their local paper? Why, sure.

To the tune of "Row, Row, Row your boat":
Row, row, row your boat
aggressively up the stream.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Later!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

Sorry, Pyron has already been proven wrong. Pythons with eggs have been captured by nuisance wildlife trappers in Florida as far north as Tallahassee.

Pyron's results should be interpreted as a minimum, while Rodda's represent a maximum.

The truth, as it usually does, will lie between the 2.

Hi!
Not that I doubt what you're saying, but, I don't remember reading/hearing that pythons w/eggs have been captured as far north as Tallahassee. However, "pythons w/eggs" doesn't prove they're thriving there. If I'm not mistaken, I think that even Rodda said that the Everglades is the only place that they're currently thriving in.

I grew up in central FL, spent the first 30yrs of my life there and visit at least twice a year now, and I say Burmese Pythons cannot thrive that far north. I don't think they could ever survive the mildest winter in central FL.

If you've ever kept burms and not stayed ontop of their caging environment, you should know just how susceptible to a fatal URI they are.

Have a good one!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

You are correct you have not yet read about pythons breeding in Tallahassee, a voucher specimen was not taken. I would bet there will be one (voucher specimen) taken next time.

What do you think about this: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/UW/UW28600.pdf

Looks like pythons are both increasing in number (and I note that it started with 1) and range in South Florida. Also it sure does not look to me that those body temperatures were from a critter that was thermally stressed even though it got pretty cool.

While tolerances of captive herps for environmental conditions is useful helping to predict relatively what wild critters will do, I have found without exception that critters in the wild can always tolerate broader conditions because they find small areas of favorable conditions (e.g. burrows for temperature). It just looks to me that the pythons are doing better at lower temperatures than you would have predicted based on your captive experience.
Link

Yeah, I've seen that report before. It does have some interesting data, even though one of the sources cited was Robert Reed, Rodda's right hand man.

In order to fully interpret what that thermal map means to a northern migration of Burmese Pythons you have to know about FL, the lay of the land, the climates, available habitats, etc...

First and foremost, it shows that the snakes were either in water or below ground surface. Fairly safe from air temps.

2nd - Tallahassee is 400 miles north of the Everglades. Central FL is, what, about 200 miles north of the Everglades? The further north you go the colder it gets in the winter. Not only that, but it also stays colder for longer periods of time.

The annual average temperature difference between south FL & north FL is aproximately 13 - 15 degrees. The average winter temperatures are even more than that. Guess what that does to the water temps & below ground surface temps. Also, we must keep in mind that the colder the air, usually the less humidity. Humidity is very important to Burms. Of course, being submerged or below ground surface will usually take care of that but we're still looking at cooler water/ground temps.

3rd - We have suitable habitat. Name one place north of the Everglades that can provide what the Everglades does. Maybe Lake Apopka, but that's quite a stretch of the imagination.

I respect your posts and points of view. I surely don't mean you any disrespect, it's just that I disagree with them from personal experience.

Thanks for taking the time to share your opinion!

Take care!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

Mike you are correct but just to add some additional info the habitat drastically changes north of Lake Okeechobee. As you travel north from extreme south Fl. the altitude gets higher and higher. We're not talking mountains but the Lake Wales Ridge in central Fl. averages 100-200 feet above sea level. Because of this the eco-system is radically different complete with fairly xeric scrub including cactus, scrubby trees, and bushes. This is NOT suitable habitat for Burmese to thrive in. As you say the average temp. is MUCH lower particularly the low temps. I was born in north Fl and man it gets too cold for me much less Burmese Pythons. In nature Burmese occur in moutainous areas but these areas are mesic with huge trees and abundant cover. The Indian Python[P. m. molurus] is the race found in xeric habitat. Plus there are NO corriders the snakes could utilize to expand their range much further north than they occupy now. This has been an ongoing problem for bears and panthers as well. They simply have no way to move north and expand their range so with bears we have "pockets" that are found all over Fl but NO continual range. Panthers are confined pretty much to Fl. south of Lake Okeechobee. Remember these are large NATIVE mammals capable of moving great distances in a short time. I think because of a MULTITUDE of reasons there will be NO range extensions of Pythons much further north than they are now....Sorry for the rant....TC

"Because of this the eco-system is radically different complete with fairly xeric scrub including cactus, scrubby trees, and bushes. This is NOT suitable habitat for Burmese to thrive in."

That's exactly what I was talking about when saying there wasn't any sizable suitable habitat north of the Everglades.

Good post, Tom! Lots of good, "true," information there. Thanks for pointing those things out.

Sorry for the late reply, I was going to post a reply later that day but got sidetracked. Seems to be happenin' a lot here lately.

On another note - Tom, I'll have to give you a raincheck on lunch during the Daytona expo. I'm not gonna be able to make it down there like I had planned. Life has these lil' curve balls every now & then. I went down swingin' on this one.

Hope you do good at the show! Have fun!

Catch ya later!
Mike
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

You are dead wrong. NO PYTHON WITH EGGS HAS BEEN FOUND ANYWHERE BUT THE EVERGLADES. I have been working with the state for several years on invasives and I have ALL locale info on the Pythons. While individual snakes have been found all over Fl. just as in Ohio, N.Y., and many other states there is no evidence to support that there is any self-sustaining population anywhere but the Everglades Wilderness Area. There are always "stories and tales" on a topic as sensational as this one......TC