Posted by:
Jonathan_Brady
at Thu Feb 4 17:04:23 2010 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Jonathan_Brady ]
I posted the other day that I wrote to Gordon Rodda and I mentioned that I would post his response, if I received one. Well, I ACTUALLY received a response. Crazy. It wasn't what I was hoping for, but not far from what I expected.
Here was my letter to him:
Mr. Rodda,
Someone recently shared with me an email written in response to this question:
“Do you have information regarding the survival statistics of Burmese pythons in Florida during last months cold spell in Florida?”
Your reply was this:
Visitors and staff at Everglades NP have observed numerous live and dead pythons following the cold snap. The consequences to the population are not yet clear, but researchers at the University of Florida and Everglades NP are compiling the existing data to prepare a summary. I expect there will be press coverage of that summary when it is released. Although the short-term consequences to the population are undoubtedly negative to the pythons (many dead pythons that would not otherwise be dead!), the long-term consequences are unknown at this time.
I have several questions if you’re willing to take the time to answer them.
First, will the researchers at UF be compiling data on only the pythons that died during or immediately after the cold snap, or will those that developed fatal respiratory tract infections or other ailments that lead to their death weeks or months later be included?
Second, given that “numerous” pythons couldn’t survive a 2 week cold snap in South Florida, have you reconsidered the following quote: “Most species can probably aestivate for months to minimize exposure to seasonally inclement weather or food unavailability…” in your paper entitled: Giant Constrictors: Biological and Management Profiles and an Establishment Risk Assessment for Nine Large Species of Pythons, Anacondas, and the Boa Constrictor?
Third, with this new information about the inability of an entire population to survive a very mild cold snap (not even freezing temperatures), do you have any plans to call a press conference to update the world regarding any updates or revisions to your papers in relation to pythons surviving north of South Florida? (Aside from the press conference mentioned above that you expect the U of F to hold) After all, latitudes north of Lake Okeechobee see weather like that yearly and areas north of I-10 fall below freezing several times each winter. If “numerous” pythons are dying in South Florida due to mildly cold weather, doesn’t it stand to reason that even more, if not all, would die (if they existed) in areas north of that area because those areas are appreciably colder in the winter? This theory lends credence to the non-establishment of these animals in other parts of the US.
Fourth, what are your thoughts on this picture of a frozen boa (mislabeled as a python) taken in Broward County, Florida? http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/01/manatees_pythons_cold_weather_florida.php
Does this give you cause to reconsider including boa constrictor in the paper referenced above? Barker and Barker suggest that boas do not have the instincts necessary to drive them to seek shelter from cold weather based on a population study, this frozen boa is certainly proof of that and those two pieces of evidence should absolutely be considered. Another point that should be considered is that boa constrictors have, for thousands upon thousands of years, lived just south of the US border in Mexico, yet they’ve never traveled north to actually cross the political border. If these animals are migratory and they can withstand cool temperatures, shouldn’t they already be native species to the US? Does this give you cause to retract your findings?
The first study published in regards to Burmese pythons and their boundaries in the US included the Indian python. Those with more experience with Indian pythons than you or I have determined that these snakes can withstand far cooler temperatures than Burmese pythons and are appreciably smaller as well. They are considered separate subspecies. Would you mind sharing why the Indian python was included given that there are fewer than 100 within the borders of the US giving them great value (less propensity to be released) and there has never been an Indian python found in the wild? The speculation is that they were included so that the average temperature threshold of the Burmese python could be lowered via “averaging” (due to the inclusion of the Indian python) and therefore the range map expanded.
Finally, the two main papers published by the USGS in regards to Burmese pythons and Indian pythons as well as the other “large” constricting snakes were peer reviewed. Do you happen to know if any experts with experience raising these animals in captivity were solicited for their perspective?
I thank you graciously for your time and I look forward to your reply.
Jonathan Brady
This was his reply:
Jonathan,
You raise a number of important points, and I'm sure the answers are of interest to many. Some will be addressed in a paper we are now working on on climate matching. Some will be addressed in the UF work you mentioned. Some require more information than we presently have available. Right now, however, it would be premature to speculate on the long-term consequences of events that just happened. We are well aware that additional data will cause revision of conclusions; that is how science is supposed to work. We look forward to learning as much as we can.
Cheers, Gordon
He also copied Robert Reed and Mr. Reed wrote a quick reply too and shared some information that I was not aware of. Here's his reply:
Hi Jonathan;
I wanted to add that the frozen boa is NOT from Broward Co - it was found in southwest Ohio on 30 January 2007 and the story has been circulating on the internet since then.
Cheers,
Bob
Guess that's about as much as can be expected, huh?
jb
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What's written above is purely my opinion. In fact, MOST of what you read on the internet is someone's opinion. Don't take it too seriously 
Jonathan Brady
DeviantConstrictors.com
Deviant Constrictors picturetrail
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 Gordon Rodda responds - Jonathan_Brady, Thu Feb 4 17:04:23 2010
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