<P> Severe declines in mammalian populations across the Everglades may be tied to the proliferation of pythons . Comparisons of road surveys conducted in 1996 - 1997 (prior to proliferation) and 2003 - 2011 (after proliferation) indicated declines from 88% to 100% in the frequency of raccoon, opossum, bobcat, rabbit, fox, and other mammalian species sightings . These declines were concordant with the spatial geography of python spread . It should be noted that most of these species are well - known to have increased in numbers following human disturbance, however . </P> <P> Smaller declines were observed where pythons were only recently documented and the greatest mammalian abundances were observed outside of the python's current range . Burmese pythons were the dominant predator of reintroduced marsh rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris) in Everglades National Park, and predation by pythons extirpated the rabbit population in less than 11 months . The overall extent to which the greatly reduced mammalian populations will disrupt the complex food web of the Everglades by indirectly affecting other native species, however, is unclear . </P> <P> The Everglades is a region of subtropical wetlands comprising the lower third of the Florida peninsula . Only 25% of the original Everglades remains, protected within Everglades National Park (ENP). The climate of South Florida and the location of the Everglades, surrounded by a metropolitan area to the east, Naples to the west, and Florida Bay to the south, make it particularly vulnerable to infestations of exotic species . Miami, in particular, is the hub for trade in exotic pets within the United States . Although the exact origin of Burmese pythons in the Everglades is unknown, it is likely that many were once pets released by owners who found them too difficult to care for . An evaluation of the genetic structure of Burmese pythons sampled from Everglades National Park determined that the population is genetically distinct from pythons sampled in the native range, but within the Everglades population, there is little genetic diversity . This finding either indicates that the python population is freely interbreeding or corroborates the hypothesis that the individuals originate from a specific source population such as the pet trade . </P> <P> Estimating the population of Burmese pythons in the Everglades is challenging because of the secretive nature of this species and the limited ability to conduct traditional mark - recapture assessments . Namely, it is counterintuitive to the primary goal of python removal to return captured pythons to the wild . </P>

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