Robo-Bunnies Unleashed In Florida Everglades To Hunt Burmese Pythons
In the wild, wild world of Florida wildlife management, it’s come to this: robot rabbits versus invasive super-snakes. Yes, really. In a headline-grabbing twist to the ongoing ecological nightmare in the Everglades…
In the wild, wild world of Florida wildlife management, it’s come to this: robot rabbits versus Invasive super-snakes.
Yes, really.
In a headline-grabbing twist to the ongoing ecological nightmare in the Everglades, scientists from the University of Florida have deployed 40 animatronic rabbits in the swampy terrain to outwit one of the region’s most destructive predators — the Burmese python.
The pythons, which are not native to Florida, were introduced by way of exotic pet trades and some reckless decisions. Their numbers exploded after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, when several exotic animal facilities were destroyed, releasing untold numbers of animals into the wild. Add to that an influx of irresponsible pet owners who dumped their massive snakes once feeding them live animals became too much, and the