Burmese+Python+-+Transue

Burmese Python (Python Molurus Bivittatus) A. General Information: The Burmese Python also known as the Python molurus bivittatus which is its scientific name. The Burmese Python in the wild individuals average 3.7 meters or 12ft long but may reach up to 5.8 meters or 19ft. The Burmese Python is a light colored snakes with many brown blotches bordered in black down the back. It could weighs up to 200 lbs; it’s a reptile and is a carnivore. The average lifespan in the wild is 20 to 25 years.

Scientific classification Kingdom:Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Pythonidae Genus: Python Species: P. molurus Subspecies: P. m. bivittatus

Burmese python swallows sheep whole….. B. Detailed Description: Burmese pythons are meat eaters and they eat small mammals and birds. They have bad eyesight, and stalk prey using chemical receptors in their tongues and heat-sensors along the jaws and mouth lining. They kill by constriction, grasping a victim with their sharp teeth, coiling their bodies around the animal, and squeezing until it suffocates crushing the lungs of the prey. They have stretchy ligaments in their jaws that allow them to swallow all their food whole. Florida's warm climate is similar to the one that this rain forest species was designed by nature to inhabit.

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C. Habitat and Distribution: Habitat: The Burmese Python is native to the jungles and grassy marshes of Southeast Asia or Burma. Burmese pythons live in and like the warmer climate much like other reptiles. The Graph to the right shows the climate and area the Burmese Python prefer in America showing green as would live there yellow as maybe and brown as no. Distribution: The Burmese Python is considered a exotic pet so people go buy and bring over these snakes as babies and then as the snakes grow bigger people feel like they cant take care of them anymore so they release them into the wild. This problem of Burmese Pythons started just over ten years ago with people releasing pets into the wild.

D. Impacts: The Impact the Burmese Python has on the ecosystem is negative they out compete and grow the native snakes. They also grow to large sizes to where they can eat larger predators like sheep, baby hippos, and alligators. Making them a fierce competitor. Hybridization of the Burmese Python is possible due to the similar genetic make up of the snakes. The impacts it makes on humans is that its very expensive to rid theses snakes of an area much like all invasive species. E. Control Measures: Florida has a Python Patrol group who go out and look for the Burmese Pythons and kill them to help limit the number reproducing each year. And the price of removal is large like it is for the removal of most invasive species.

Baby Burmese Python

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