Saturday, October 13, 2012

Gimleteye: Top Everglades python story of the week

Recently park scientists went on a mission to retrieve a large python that had been tagged with a GPS tag and a device that indicates when a python wraps around its prey called an accelerometer. The GPS tag is inexpensive. The accelerometer costs about $2500. Not a trivial expense.

The virtual extinction of a whole class of small mammals in the Everglades -- raccoons and possums, for example -- confirms for scientists the rapid spread of invasive Burmese pythons in the River of Grass. Scientists want to know how to interrupt the progress of the pythons; hence the tracking.

Using electronic surveillance equipment, park scientists traced to a small pond in the Everglades, but there was no python. Only a twelve foot alligator. When they returned to the office, empty-handed, the owner of the accelerometer -- the USGS -- demanded the retrieval of the expensive device.

The scientists captured the alligator, and put it in a holding pen to wait until it excreted the electronic equipment.

After a month in captivity and exhaustive exploration how to make the alligator expel the accelerometer, the staff surrendered and returned the alligator to the wild. At least it is not a Rolex.

1 comment:

Malagodi said...

So the obvious answer to the python problem is larger alligators.