The article talks about the declining numbers of certain mammals in the Glades including opossums, raccoons and marsh rabbits. The article also has a photo of a large alligator eating a burmese python with the caption being "reptiles are being eaten too" and then it says the burmese is wrapped around the alligator?
The article also mentions the lack of mammal sightings could be attributed to changes in water levels. It says that the burmese python is the prime suspect though...but they haven't gone to trial yet?
I guess they never thought about the increase in the population, construction of new homes, shopping centers, and entire communities. I'm sure there are alligators that would love to feast on these mammals and the more we develop the more they get pushed deep into the swamp...where the alligators thrive.
The disturbing part of the article says that The Obama administration pointed to the findings for the decision to ban the import and interstate sale of burmese and other snakes.
That's great...we have a government that makes life changing decisions for some of it's population based on inconclusive research and evidence.
Maybe we should all get together and invest in the tobacco industry. It's a 150 billion dollar a year business that the government knows kills 5 million people a year...but that's OK because they make a butt load of money off those dead people via lobbyists.
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Matt Lerer
Ghi Reptiles
