• News
  • Work Here
  • Volunteer Here
  • User Sign In
  • About Us
    • Our History
    • Our President's Message
    • Our Board
    • Strategic Solutions - Vision 2025
    • Staff
    • Work Here
      • Openings
      • Internships
        • Internships for Non-U.S. Citizens
    • Financials
    • Communications
      • In the News
      • Publications
        • Research Documents
        • Publication Archives
      • Media Tools
  • Our Work
    • Science
      • Water Monitoring
        • Naples Bay
        • Lakewatch
      • Mangrove Restoration
        • Clam Bay
        • Fruit Farm Creek
        • Pine Island Sound
        • Development Effects
        • Hurricane Effects
      • Urban Ecology
        • Golf Course Ecology
        • Filter Marsh
        • Smith Preserve Management
      • Western Everglades
        • Refugia Project
        • Picayune Strand Restoration
        • Southern Golden Gate Estates
      • Invasive Species
        • Burmese pythons
          • Burrow Borrowers
        • Cane toads
      • Wildlife Research
        • Loggerheads
        • Kemp's ridleys
        • Everglades Mink
        • Anuran
        • Remote Camera Survey
        • American Alligator
      • Science Blog
    • Policy
      • Take Action
      • Eye on the Issues
      • Eastern Collier County
      • Wetland Protection
      • Water Quality
        • Now or Neverglades
        • Lake O Ripple Effect
          • Stop the Ripple Effect
          • EAA Reservoir
        • Standards & Impaired Waters
        • Fertilizer Ordinance
        • Stormwater Regulation
        • Naples Bay & Gordon River
        • TMDLs and BMAPs
      • Land Conservation
        • Florida Forever
        • Conservation Collier
        • Edison Farms
        • Rural Lands Stewardship Area
      • Wildlife Protection
        • Florida Panther
          • Compensation program
        • Black Bears
        • Manatees
        • Lime Rock / Sand Mining
        • Eastern Collier Habitat
      • Smart Growth
      • Policy Blog
    • Wildlife Hospital
      • Wildlife Hospital FAQ
      • Pelican Protection
      • Animal Acceptance Policy
      • What We Do
      • Wish List
      • Volunteer at Wildlife Hospital
      • Wildlife Blog
    • Education
      • Virtual Learning
      • Summer Camp
      • Field Trips
        • Pricing & Info
        • Registration
      • School Outreach
        • Pricing & Info
        • Registration
      • Teacher Workshops
      • Teacher Resources
      • Education Blog
    • IMPACT
      • Edison Farms
      • Peace River Refuge
      • Mangrove Restoration
      • Western Everglades
      • Clean Water
      • Wildlife Protection
      • Rookery Bay
      • Gordon River Greenway
  • Nature Center
    • Plan Your Visit
      • Coupons
      • Daily Programs
      • Electric Boat Tours
      • Dalton Discovery Center
      • Wildlife Hospital Exhibits
      • Ferguson Learning Lab
      • Shotwell Wavering Filter Marsh
      • Smith Preserve
      • FAQs
    • Special Programs
      • Evenings at the Conservancy
      • Little Explorers
      • Group Tours
      • Family Fun Days
    • Kayaks
    • Offsite Programs
      • Rookery Bay Eco-Cruise
      • Nature Walks
      • Request Speaker
  • Climate Solutions
    • Growing Climate Solutions
  • Events
    • Annual Meeting
    • Earth Day
    • Magic Under the Mangroves
      • Magic Committee
      • Patron Party
      • History of Magic
    • RedSnook
      • RedSnook - Rules
      • RedSnook Guide List
      • RedSnook History
      • Launch Sites
  • Get Involved
    • Membership
      • Join
      • Renew
      • Leadership Circle
    • Donate
      • Monthly Giving
      • Planned Giving
        • Gift Options
        • Planned Giving Committee
        • The Eagle Society
      • Amazon Wish List
      • Send an eCard
      • Donor Privacy
      • Matching Gifts
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Application
      • Volunteer of the Month
    • Corporate Sponsors
  • Donate
  • About Us
    • Our History
    • Our President's Message
    • Our Board
    • Strategic Solutions - Vision 2025
    • Staff
    • Work Here
      • Openings
      • Internships
        • Internships for Non-U.S. Citizens
    • Financials
    • Communications
      • In the News
      • Publications
        • Research Documents
        • Publication Archives
      • Media Tools
  • Our Work
    • Science
      • Water Monitoring
        • Naples Bay
        • Lakewatch
      • Mangrove Restoration
        • Clam Bay
        • Fruit Farm Creek
        • Pine Island Sound
        • Development Effects
        • Hurricane Effects
      • Urban Ecology
        • Golf Course Ecology
        • Filter Marsh
        • Smith Preserve Management
      • Western Everglades
        • Refugia Project
        • Picayune Strand Restoration
        • Southern Golden Gate Estates
      • Invasive Species
        • Burmese pythons
          • Burrow Borrowers
        • Cane toads
      • Wildlife Research
        • Loggerheads
        • Kemp's ridleys
        • Everglades Mink
        • Anuran
        • Remote Camera Survey
        • American Alligator
      • Science Blog
    • Policy
      • Take Action
      • Eye on the Issues
      • Eastern Collier County
      • Wetland Protection
      • Water Quality
        • Now or Neverglades
        • Lake O Ripple Effect
          • Stop the Ripple Effect
          • EAA Reservoir
        • Standards & Impaired Waters
        • Fertilizer Ordinance
        • Stormwater Regulation
        • Naples Bay & Gordon River
        • TMDLs and BMAPs
      • Land Conservation
        • Florida Forever
        • Conservation Collier
        • Edison Farms
        • Rural Lands Stewardship Area
      • Wildlife Protection
        • Florida Panther
          • Compensation program
        • Black Bears
        • Manatees
        • Lime Rock / Sand Mining
        • Eastern Collier Habitat
      • Smart Growth
      • Policy Blog
    • Wildlife Hospital
      • Wildlife Hospital FAQ
      • Pelican Protection
      • Animal Acceptance Policy
      • What We Do
      • Wish List
      • Volunteer at Wildlife Hospital
      • Wildlife Blog
    • Education
      • Virtual Learning
      • Summer Camp
      • Field Trips
        • Pricing & Info
        • Registration
      • School Outreach
        • Pricing & Info
        • Registration
      • Teacher Workshops
      • Teacher Resources
      • Education Blog
    • IMPACT
      • Edison Farms
      • Peace River Refuge
      • Mangrove Restoration
      • Western Everglades
      • Clean Water
      • Wildlife Protection
      • Rookery Bay
      • Gordon River Greenway
  • Nature Center
    • Plan Your Visit
      • Coupons
      • Daily Programs
      • Electric Boat Tours
      • Dalton Discovery Center
      • Wildlife Hospital Exhibits
      • Ferguson Learning Lab
      • Shotwell Wavering Filter Marsh
      • Smith Preserve
      • FAQs
    • Special Programs
      • Evenings at the Conservancy
      • Little Explorers
      • Group Tours
      • Family Fun Days
    • Kayaks
    • Offsite Programs
      • Rookery Bay Eco-Cruise
      • Nature Walks
      • Request Speaker
  • Climate Solutions
    • Growing Climate Solutions
  • Events
    • Annual Meeting
    • Earth Day
    • Magic Under the Mangroves
      • Magic Committee
      • Patron Party
      • History of Magic
    • RedSnook
      • RedSnook - Rules
      • RedSnook Guide List
      • RedSnook History
      • Launch Sites
  • Get Involved
    • Membership
      • Join
      • Renew
      • Leadership Circle
    • Donate
      • Monthly Giving
      • Planned Giving
        • Gift Options
        • Planned Giving Committee
        • The Eagle Society
      • Amazon Wish List
      • Send an eCard
      • Donor Privacy
      • Matching Gifts
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Application
      • Volunteer of the Month
    • Corporate Sponsors
  • Donate

BURROW BORROWERS

Conservancy scientists - in collaboration with partners from Denison University, United States Geological Survey and Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve - have learned that Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in Southwest Florida often make use of burrows constructed by large, native wildlife.


Burmese pythons and gopher tortoise burrows - study results are in

“Pythons frequently occupy the burrows of Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) and Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the dry season, both for shelter and reproductive activities,” said Conservancy biologist Ian Bartoszek. These burrows are in higher, upland habitats that are located adjacent to low wetlands and waterways. The identification of this association provides a useful target for land managers to direct their search activities and increases their odds of locating and removing the invaders.

Since Burmese pythons have been found nearby two of the Conservancy’s upland properties located within Rookery Bay Reserve a concentrated effort was made by Conservancy scientists to explore these lands for indications of python presence.

Recently this team completed an intensive systematic grid search on these lands. This included an inventory of 307 burrows of various sizes that were scoped using a gopher tortoise camera. A total of 64 tortoises were documented within the burrow systems.

Conservancy biologists using cameras to scope out gopher tortoise burrows.

Fortunately, as of December 2014, there were no signs that pythons or any other large constrictor had moved into the Conservancy’s properties in Rookery Bay. No constrictors were found in any of the burrows and no evidence of skin sheds or large snake trails were found that would have indicated the presence of a constrictor.

In addition to gopher tortoises, there were sightings of native snakes, bear, panther, raccoon tracks and scat indicative that our properties are being uti¬lized and support native wildlife, said Conservancy Science Director Kathy Worley.

Continued monitoring and repetition of these types of surveys will hopefully enable the Conservancy to manage and keep these “prime exotic snake properties” constrictor free - or at least under tight control. However, continued vigilance is needed, given that during this survey an 8 ft. python was captured by Rookery Bay staff less than 1 mile from Conservancy lands.

These baseline surveys established that although pythons have not utilized our properties to date, there is still an elevated risk that these invasive predators could easily infiltrate these areas, given the close proximity of recently captured exotic constrictors.

These surveys were sponsored by The Mary Reinhart Stackhouse Foundation and we are deeply appre-ciative of their financial support.

“The impacts of this exotic top predator on native wildlife are of great concern,” said Worley, adding that large declines in mammal populations have been recorded in Everglades National Park.

“The combination of large size, extremely cryptic habits, and high rate of reproduction make it almost impossible to eradicate pythons from Florida,” said Bartoszek.

The first observation of a wild Burmese python in South Florida was recorded in the Everglades in 1979. The population has increased dramatically in the last 15 years and can be found from coast to coast in South Florida. Population size can’t be estimated with current knowledge, but many experts estimate numbers in the hundreds of thousands.

Click here to see pictures from our python training course.

  • About Us
    • Our History
    • Our President's Message
    • Our Board
    • Strategic Solutions - Vision 2025
    • Staff
    • Work Here
      • Openings
      • Internships
        • Internships for Non-U.S. Citizens
    • Financials
    • Communications
      • In the News
      • Publications
        • Research Documents
        • Publication Archives
      • Media Tools
  • Our Work
    • Science
      • Water Monitoring
        • Naples Bay
        • Lakewatch
      • Mangrove Restoration
        • Clam Bay
        • Fruit Farm Creek
        • Pine Island Sound
        • Development Effects
        • Hurricane Effects
      • Urban Ecology
        • Golf Course Ecology
        • Filter Marsh
        • Smith Preserve Management
      • Western Everglades
        • Refugia Project
        • Picayune Strand Restoration
        • Southern Golden Gate Estates
      • Invasive Species
        • Burmese pythons
          • Burrow Borrowers
        • Cane toads
      • Wildlife Research
        • Loggerheads
        • Kemp's ridleys
        • Everglades Mink
        • Anuran
        • Remote Camera Survey
        • American Alligator
      • Science Blog
    • Policy
      • Take Action
      • Eye on the Issues
      • Eastern Collier County
      • Wetland Protection
      • Water Quality
        • Now or Neverglades
        • Lake O Ripple Effect
          • Stop the Ripple Effect
          • EAA Reservoir
        • Standards & Impaired Waters
        • Fertilizer Ordinance
        • Stormwater Regulation
        • Naples Bay & Gordon River
        • TMDLs and BMAPs
      • Land Conservation
        • Florida Forever
        • Conservation Collier
        • Edison Farms
        • Rural Lands Stewardship Area
      • Wildlife Protection
        • Florida Panther
          • Compensation program
        • Black Bears
        • Manatees
        • Lime Rock / Sand Mining
        • Eastern Collier Habitat
      • Smart Growth
      • Policy Blog
    • Wildlife Hospital
      • Wildlife Hospital FAQ
      • Pelican Protection
      • Animal Acceptance Policy
      • What We Do
      • Wish List
      • Volunteer at Wildlife Hospital
      • Wildlife Blog
    • Education
      • Virtual Learning
      • Summer Camp
      • Field Trips
        • Pricing & Info
        • Registration
      • School Outreach
        • Pricing & Info
        • Registration
      • Teacher Workshops
      • Teacher Resources
      • Education Blog
    • IMPACT
      • Edison Farms
      • Peace River Refuge
      • Mangrove Restoration
      • Western Everglades
      • Clean Water
      • Wildlife Protection
      • Rookery Bay
      • Gordon River Greenway
  • Nature Center
    • Plan Your Visit
      • Coupons
      • Daily Programs
      • Electric Boat Tours
      • Dalton Discovery Center
      • Wildlife Hospital Exhibits
      • Ferguson Learning Lab
      • Shotwell Wavering Filter Marsh
      • Smith Preserve
      • FAQs
    • Special Programs
      • Evenings at the Conservancy
      • Little Explorers
      • Group Tours
      • Family Fun Days
    • Kayaks
    • Offsite Programs
      • Rookery Bay Eco-Cruise
      • Nature Walks
      • Request Speaker
  • Climate Solutions
    • Growing Climate Solutions
  • Events
    • Annual Meeting
    • Earth Day
    • Magic Under the Mangroves
      • Magic Committee
      • Patron Party
      • History of Magic
    • RedSnook
      • RedSnook - Rules
      • RedSnook Guide List
      • RedSnook History
      • Launch Sites
  • Get Involved
    • Membership
      • Join
      • Renew
      • Leadership Circle
    • Donate
      • Monthly Giving
      • Planned Giving
        • Gift Options
        • Planned Giving Committee
        • The Eagle Society
      • Amazon Wish List
      • Send an eCard
      • Donor Privacy
      • Matching Gifts
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Application
      • Volunteer of the Month
    • Corporate Sponsors
  • Donate

Please show Your Support!

  • Join
  • Donate
  • Volunteer

Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Address

1495 Smith Preserve Way
Naples, Florida 34102

Nature Center Hours

Monday - Saturday
9:30 am - 4:00 pm (ET)

Sunday: 12 pm - 4 pm

von Arx Wildlife Hospital Hours

239-262-2273
8 am - 8 pm (ET)
365 days a year

 

Contact

239-262-0304 phone
239-262-0672 fax

Take Action & Stay Informed

Stay connected!
*
*
*
*
  • Visit Us
  • Webmaster
  • Privacy Policy

©2019 Conservancy of Southwest Florida. All Rights Reserved

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida website uses cookies, tracking pixels and related technologies. Cookies are small data files that are served by our platform and stored on your device. Our site uses cookies dropped by us or third parties for a variety of purposes including to operate and personalize the website. Also, cookies may also be used to track how you use the site to target ads to you on other websites.