Snakes Alive—and they’re Burmese!

A 2-year-old girl was strangled in her bed by a Burmese python in the US state of Florida in July. The snake was a family pet—but the incident drew national attention not only to the threat posed by reptiles kept at home but also to the existence in Florida of more than 140,000 Burmese pythons slithering through the state’s famous Everglades National Park.

Although Burmese pythons are harmless when young, they can grow to 8 meters and weigh more than 100 kg. Owners tend to dump them in the countryside when they grow too troublesome, and environmentalists say most of the Everglades pythons are the progeny of abandoned pet snakes.

There are no restrictions on importing Burmese pythons into the US. Very few of those for sale in pet shops originate in Burma or Southeast Asia, however—American dealers can breed them easily and cheaply. A typical young snake costs US $20.

Hundreds are thought to have escaped from shattered pet shops when Hurricane Andrew tore through Florida in 1992.

Although the snakes prey mostly on small rodents and deer, they’ve been seen to tackle alligators—one battle went on for 20 hours before the alligator gave up the fight and released its hold on the python.

Environmentalists fear rare Everglades species could be wiped out by the snakes. Others fear visitors to the area are also at risk. “It’s only a matter of time before one of these snakes grabs a visitor,” said Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, who is campaigning for legislation to ban the importation and sale of Burmese pythons.