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Gosh I hate bore Jeroen and make my audience even smaller but,
Brown tree snake , Current population estimates are in the millions,
Invasive Species Branch Chief Bob Reed,
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"we have the most effective snake trap in the world, we've quantified capture probabilities across ages, sizes, etc. for snakes using multiple control tools, and more recent research has led to development of aerial toxicant techniques that hold the promise of landscape-level suppression."
Yeah that's wonderful, but ......................
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Bob Reed, "The snakes are still out there, and still in high densities."
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USGS Gordon Rodda, " Snakes are already responsible for causing blackouts every few days."
The brown tree snake is flourishing on Guam. There are as many tree snakes on the island today, causing just as much trouble as there was the day the government scientist were brought in to solve the problem. Nothing has changed. Containment ? Snakes are still hitching rides off the island. The question is with planes, boats, jet skis, military cargo coming and going from the brown tree snakes natural range and going everywhere unchecked everyday. How come no other invasions have occurred? Not to mention the brown tree snake was found in massive numbers on Guam prior to all these wonderful containment advancement's. This with quick and easy transportation leaving to a destination of their choice at anytime. But no other populations sprung up ? Hum......................
In this paper ,
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Willson, J. D., M. E. Dorcas and R. W. Snow. 2010. Identifying Plausible Scenarios for the Establishment of Invasive Burmese Pythons (Python molurus) in Southern Florida.
Bob Reeds cohorts use the insidious little brown tree snake in Guam, and point out how much vital information has been learned from that fiasco that can now be applied to the Burmese python problem.
Ok,
TRAPPING
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(Reed et al., 2011). In summary, that paper recounts the unsuccessful attempts to trap Burmese pythons in an area known as Frog Pond. The study took place in 2009, at the height of Burmese python populations in south Florida, and just before the two ensuing cold winters significantly reduced python numbers by nearly half. Frog Pond is an area on the eastern margin of ENP just north of the east end of the Main Park Road. Frog Pond was believed to be the area with the densest concentration of pythons. The authors report that 6053 trap-nights resulted in three python captures; 37 rodents also were trapped.
At a cost of nearly 1 million dollars , 6053 trap-nights at a prime location. 3 pythons.
Imagine how bad the results would have been if the traps door was in the wrong place.
For generations snake hunters in Asia have trapped pythons the same way they do today. With a couple of sticks and some netting. At the right time , In a good spot they catch 5 to 10 snakes a day. The cost of the traps, maybe $5 US. And that is just two guys in worn out sandals carrying an old rice sack.
TRAINED PYTHON SNIFFING DOGS
Nothing new again. Using dogs to find reptiles has been around a long time. The cost of training, conditioning etc. for one of these scientific dogs. I'm sure very pricy . Python Pete for example a lovable little pooch was used unsuccessfully to hunt down pythons in the Glades. Poor Pete sucked at his job, he was useless .
Others using dogs, in Paraguay. Dogs are used to hunt Tegus for the skin trade , about 300,000 per year. Hunters walk around with the dogs, the dogs track down the lizards, the hunters then catch them. The cost of acquiring and training one these reptile finding machines. Get a free mutt and show it a few skins, take it for a walk.
Radio-telemetry
Not much to say, clocking in at over half a million dollars This project proved useful in one way. The scientist were able to find their dead, frozen snakes.
It would take a forensic accountant to fully break down the enormous amount of taxpayer money spent, not lowering the population of brown tree snakes on Guam.
Quote:
H.R. 3479 was introduced on November 7, 2003, by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU)
H.R. 3479, the Brown Tree Snake Control and Eradication Act, was introduced. Under the terms of this comprehensive legislation the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior are authorized to provide funds to support BTS control, interdiction, research and eradication efforts; nearly $18 million per year in appropriations is authorized for fiscal years 2005 to 2010 to carry out the activities and requirements established by this Act
H.R. 3479 would authorize the appropriation of $104 million over the 2005-2009 period to control brown tree snakes, an invasive species that currently infests Guam and other Pacific islands.
What can be learned from government snake eradication programs is just how impossible it is to over collect a common species, even when the collection area involves a restricted range.
Ernie Eison
Statistics: Posted by WSTREPS — August 11th, 2016, 2:10 pm