Hunters from Across the World, Battling a Menace in U.S
The state of Florida has called in two hunters from India, to tackle the menace of Burmese pythons in the Everglades. The men from the Irula tribe of south India are now working near Key Largo in Florida and have bagged close to a dozen of the huge reptiles in a mere two weeks.
Masi Sadaiyan and Vadivel Gopal along-with two translators have been hired by the state authorities to protect endangered local wildlife. Keeping them company are two Labrador dogs trained by the University of Florida and Auburn University researchers to sniff out pythons.
The wildlife commission resorted to this method to capture and kill the pythons that have been rapidly spreading through the Everglades. These are dining on native animals, driving some nearly to extinction. The root of this menace lies in exotic snakes that are smuggled into the country escaping or being abandoned later on.
This particular species have taken to South Florida that is similar to their native habitat and are suspected of devastating the mammal populations of Everglades National Park. Native animals such as rabbits, raccoons, alligators and deer have been disappearing at alarming rates. Check out a Nat Geo video on them below.
The Irula tribesmen are world renowned for their ability to catch snakes. The men have skills acquired over generations that are rooted in tracking techniques that “seem mysterious” even to seasoned Florida python experts.
The pythons being captured are usually around 8 feet long, but one pulled out of a concrete shaft measured nearly 16 feet long, apparently the largest captured in the Keys. The pythons are then taken to a facility in Everglades National Park where they are euthanized for further research.
