Florida Bobcat Turns Predator: Devours Giant 13-Foot Python in Unprecedented Hunt
Scientists suspect that Loki may have been slow or sluggish because of a cold snap, which would have given the bobcat an advantage. But however the snake died, it’s a win for the Florida ecosystem.
The Problem Of Burmese Pythons In Florida
Since their introduction to Florida, Burmese pythons have caused problems in the local ecosystem. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, mammal sightings have plummeted 80 to 99 percent in some areas where the snakes are concentrated. But, as the bobcat that killed Loki suggests, Florida’s natural ecosystem is fighting back.
Biologists who track pythons like Loki to female pythons’ nests have started to anticipate losing at least one snake a year. Pythons have become victims to natural predators like bobcats, panthers, and bears. One such snake was an 11-foot, 35-pound reptile named “Pacino.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service HeadquartersA captured Burmese python in Florida. The snakes have become an invasive species since they were introduced via the exotic pet trade in the 1970s and ’80s.
“It was almost like a grenade went off and there was pretty much just the skull,” biologist Ian Bartoszek told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “He looked like he was killed by a bear, but I can’t tell you 100 percent if he was. I don’t think he was killed by the cold… I think it was a similar situation. He was exposed, and you could tell a bear got this python.”
Bobcats have also been documented raiding python nests, though not outright attacking mother snakes.
Post Comment