Africanized Pythons... really??

[WingedWolfPsion]

Consider the source, folks..consider the source. <lol>

The burm/rock crosses are cateaters, by the way. Bateaters are retic/burm crosses.

[Vypyrz]

This summer, Florida began a python bounty hunt after the population of illegally introduced Burmese pythons exploded and their range expanded. So far, 18 snakes have been captured under the new hunt, which got approval from the US Department of Interior after a toddler was killed by a released python this spring.

Only 18... Where do you suppose the other 149,982 are hiding? What would they even call the hybrid? Afriburm? Or, would they simply apply the word "Killer" like they did with the bees?...


Rob

[Denial]

I dont agree with the article at all. First off hybrids have low fertility and its almost impossible to get them to breed in captivity ive heard of all kinds of tricks to try to get them to breed but usually if you just throw in two together its not going to happen. Secondly african rock pythons are not evil monsters they come out of the egg striking because they are a foot long and we are HUGE. I would come out striking also. I have seen numerous "tame" African rock pythons.

[xdeus]

I'm surprised they just didn't include this pic in the article. Seriously, though... I wonder what journalist genius made the jump from africanized bees to africanized snakes?

[Vypyrz]

I'm surprised they just didn't include this pic in the article. Seriously, though... I wonder what journalist genius made the jump from africanized bees to africanized snakes?

I suspect there are more sensationalizing journalist in the Everglades than there are Killer snakes. And since these journalist prey on inflated stats and peoples fears to keep them and politicians in a job, could we then label them as Africanized Journalist and Killer Politicians?...


Rob

[WingedWolfPsion]

I wrote to the journalist, and he said he's gotten a number of letters and calls, and as a result is doing a follow-up piece on the reptile nation's fight against the bans.
I mentioned the fact that cateaters always stay smaller than either parent, too.
Should be interesting to see.

[twistedtails]

I'm pretty sure their called bateaters not cateaters.

A Bateater is a burmese x retic. Produced and named by Bob Clark I believe.

[MarkS]

Here is another article from another source...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...laces_20090924

Anyone remember back in the day when organizations like the Christian Science Monitor and National Geographic used to have some semblance of Journalism ethics and standards? I wonder what happened?

[tbowman]

They do not, however, have the same chances of surviving. Burms are doing so well because the Everglades match their home climate so closely, boas and other python species don't like the high humidity and wetlands of the everglades or southern-Florida as much.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't boas live in rain forests? Burms and Retics Both live in southeast Asia. I just think that boas would cause much less impact on local ecosystems(MUCH MUCH smaller snake). As for retics, There are a LOT more burms in the pet trade than retics. Burms are one of the most popular snakes in the pet trade. Much less Idiots have even heard of Retics in my opinion.

[ladywhipple02]

This is my favorite falacy to this:

"The rock python "is mean right out of the egg, and they don't ever tame down," says Kenneth Krysko, a senior biologist at the Florida Museum of Natural History."