West Palm Beach, FL — In a bold new strategy to combat invasive Burmese pythons, Florida wildlife officials have introduced robot rabbits designed to mimic real marsh rabbits. These high-tech decoys are part of an ongoing effort to protect native wildlife in the Everglades, where pythons have devastated small mammal and bird populations.
Officials say the snakes have already wiped out 95% of small mammals in parts of Everglades National Park, leaving ecosystems on the brink.
The Challenge of Finding Pythons
Despite their enormous size, Burmese pythons are notoriously hard to detect in the wild.
“Removing them is fairly simple. It’s detection. We’re having a really hard time finding them,” said Mike Kirkland, lead invasive animal biologist for the South Florida Water Management District. “They’re so well camouflaged in the field.”
The solution? Deploy 120 robot rabbits, each designed to move, emit heat, and release natural scents that fool pythons into thinking they’ve found prey.
How the Robot Rabbits Work
These decoys are retrofitted toy rabbits equipped with:
- Solar power for long-term use
- Remote controls to turn them on and off
- Movement, scent, and heat emission to mimic real animals
- Camera-monitored pens that alert contractors when a python approaches
Once a python is detected, contractors are dispatched to capture and remove it. Each robot rabbit costs around $4,000, funded by the water district, according to AP News.
“They look like a real rabbit,” Kirkland explained, noting that the experiment is already showing signs of success.
The Scale of Florida’s Python Problem
Pythons are not native to Florida. Most arrived either by escaping captivity or being released by pet owners. With few natural predators, they have flourished in the swampy Everglades.
Key facts about the invasive species:
- Females lay 50–100 eggs at a time, with a gestation period of 60–90 days.
- Adults average 10–16 feet (3–5 meters) in length.
- The U.S. Geological Survey estimates python numbers in Florida range from tens of thousands to as many as 300,000.
- Since 2000, more than 23,000 pythons have been removed from the wild.
Occasional clashes with alligators or predators like bobcats and coyotes do occur, but overall, pythons face little resistance in Florida’s ecosystem.
Incentives to Remove Pythons
Recognizing the environmental threat, Florida has launched various initiatives to encourage python removal.
- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission allows pythons to be humanely killed year-round on both private and public lands.
- The annual “Florida Python Challenge” offers cash prizes for the most snakes caught and the longest specimens.
- In July, 934 participants from 30 states joined the challenge, capturing 294 pythons, with one hunter winning $10,000 after bagging 60 snakes.
“Every invasive python that is removed makes a difference for Florida’s environment and its native wildlife,” said Ron Bergeron, a member of the water district governing board.
Early Results Show Promise
While still in the experimental phase, officials are optimistic that the robot rabbits could become an effective tool in python control.
“This part of the project is in its infancy,” Kirkland said. “We are confident, though, that this will work once we are given enough time to work out some of these details.”
With the Everglades already suffering severe losses of native species, wildlife experts say every innovative solution counts in the race to protect one of America’s most unique ecosystems.
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