During the storm, a facility housing
Burmese pythons was destroyed, allowing many of them to escape into the Everglades. Although Burmese pythons – native to
Southeast Asia – had been sighted in Everglades National Park since the 1980s, the destruction of this facility contributed significantly to
the establishment of breeding populations in Florida. Due to rapid reproduction and ability to prey on many species,
[93] the population of Burmese pythons has exploded, with possibly as many as 300,000 in the Everglades alone.
[94] Efforts have been made to curb the thriving population of these
invasive snakes, including a ban on importation of the species to the United States since January 2012,
[95] the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in 2008 regulating that boa and python owners have permits and
tag their snakes,
[96] and Burmese python hunting contests.
[97] In March 2017, the
South Florida Water Management District(SFWMD) began its Python Elimination Program. Qualified individuals became authorized to capture Burmese pythons on SFWMD properties, with minimum wage pay as compensation and a bonus of $50 for a python at least 4 ft (1.2 m) in length, plus an additional $25 for every foot beyond 4 ft (1.2 m). Further, compensation was set at $200 for finding a nest with eggs. By May 2018, 1,000 Burmese pythons were captured through that program alone.
[98]
