Mechanical Rabbits Join Florida’s Fight Against Invasive Burmese Pythons in the Everglades

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – These faux Everglades marsh rabbits mimic the appearance, movement, and scent of a bunny that a Burmese python might find appetizing. However, these are robotic replicas designed to coax these large, invasive serpents out of their concealed habitats.

This initiative by the South Florida Water Management District aims to eradicate as many pythons as possible from the Everglades, where their insatiable hunger is wiping out native wildlife. Officials within Everglades National Park report that the presence of the pythons has led to a 95% reduction in small mammal populations and thousands of birds have also been lost.

“Catching them is straightforward. The challenge is spotting them,” said Mike Kirkland, the primary invasive animal expert for the water district. “Their ability to blend into their surroundings makes them difficult to detect.”

This past summer, 120 robotic rabbits were introduced by the water district in collaboration with University of Florida researchers. There was an earlier attempt to employ actual rabbits as snake bait, but it proved too costly and labor-intensive, Kirkland explained.

The robotic rabbits are ordinary toys that have been modified to exude heat and scent and perform life-like movements, making them indistinguishable from live rabbits. “They resemble real rabbits,” remarked Kirkland. These replicas are powered by solar energy and can be operated remotely. They are installed in small enclosures under camera surveillance, which sends out alerts upon a python’s approach.

“Then I can deploy one of our many contractors to go out and remove the python,” Kirkland said.

The total cost per robot rabbit is about $4,000, financed by the water district, he added.

While pythons are not Florida’s indigenous creatures, they have gained a foothold in the wet, tropical Everglades, either by escaping captivity or being abandoned when they become too large as pets. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, female pythons can lay 50 to 100 eggs per breeding cycle, with an incubation period ranging from 60 to 90 days.

It’s not easy to find definite estimates of the number of pythons in Florida. The U.S. Geological Survey recently reported a ballpark number of “tens of thousands,” while other official estimates run as high as 300,000 snakes. They have few natural enemies, although there are occasional confrontations with alligators, and other predators, such as bobcats and coyotes, will eat their eggs.

Since 2000, more than 23,000 of the snakes have been removed from the wild, the wildlife commission says. The robot rabbits are the latest attempt to tackle snakes that average between 10 and 16 feet (3 to 5 meters) in length when fully grown.

“Every invasive python that is removed makes a difference for Florida’s environment and its native wildlife,” said Ron Bergeron, a member of the water district governing board.

Pythons can be humanely killed year-round on private lands and on lands managed by the wildlife commission across the state.

Each year the commission holds a “Florida Python Challenge” that carries cash prizes for most pythons caught, the longest snake and so forth. This year, 934 people from 30 states took part in the effort in July, capturing 294 pythons with a top prize of $10,000 to a participant who bagged 60 of the reptiles.

It’s too early to determine how successful the robot rabbit project will be, but officials say initial results are a cause for optimism.

“This part of the project is in its infancy,” Kirkland said. “We are confident, though, that this will work once we are given enough time to work out some of these details.”

_____

Anderson reported from St. Petersburg, Florida.