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Robotic rabbits deployed to combat Burmese pythons
Wildlife officials in South Florida are testing a new tool in their battle against Burmese pythons: robotic rabbits. The South Florida Water Management District has deployed about 120 solar-powered decoys across the region, including the Everglades.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Wildlife officials are turning to robotic rabbits to help track and trap Burmese pythons, one of Florida’s most destructive invasive species.
What we know:
Wildlife officials in South Florida are testing a new tool in their battle against Burmese pythons: robotic rabbits.
The South Florida Water Management District has deployed about 120 solar-powered decoys across the region, including the Everglades. The devices mimic real rabbits by producing heat, movement and scent, three signals that attract snakes. Each decoy is paired with a camera system that notifies trappers when a python is detected.
What we don't know:
While the technology shows promise, officials have yet to say how many pythons the robotic rabbits have helped capture so far. It is also unclear how quickly the program could expand beyond the current 120 devices and whether the technology will be enough to slow python population growth in the Everglades.
The backstory:
Burmese pythons, first introduced to Florida through the exotic pet trade, have become one of the state’s most damaging invasive species.
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Since the 1990s, researchers say mammal populations such as raccoons, possums and bobcats have declined by as much as 99% in areas where pythons are established. Traditional removal methods, such as tracking and hunting, have proven ineffective in the dense vegetation of the Everglades.
Big picture view:
The new decoy program is being billed as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to earlier attempts at python detection, which once relied on live rabbits kept in protective pens. By reducing the need for animal care while still luring snakes, the technology could mark a turning point in Florida’s ongoing fight against invasive species.
What's next:
The district hopes to expand the program by next summer in areas most at risk from python predation.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the South Florida Water Management District, and data from wildlife studies on invasive species in the Everglades.