1. how would the predation of pythons on rabbits affect the population of other large predators such as bobcats and alligators? why would you expect to see that change? 2. what do you think about the “python challenge”? do you agree with the need to capture and remove/kill the pythons in the everglades? can you think of any other practical solutions to the invasive python population?

Q1:

Studies have reported that due to predation of pythons on rabbits, the population of other predators is badly affected.

Bobcats are a natural predator of rabbits thus they come in a competition with pythons for food. As pythons are more powerful so they target rabbits more easily than Bobcats. The population of Bobcats has been declined by 90% or more due to the establishment of pythons in the Everglades.

Alligator mississippiensis or American alligators are also abundant in Everglades and just like Bobcats they compete with pythons for their food. They can even kill pythons if pythons are smaller in size than them, but python will kill alligator if he is of smaller size. Although rabbits are food for both alligator and Python but Alligator is a key stone specie and it has very important ecological role, because it digs holes in land that retain water upon rainfall. These water hole provide water in the extreme dry weather and help in survival of other small specie like insects and birds.

So, we can expect the population of Alligator, Bob cats and other small insects and birds to decline rapidly if Python population kept on increasing with same speed.

Q2:

There is no doubt that Pythons pose serious threat for both humans as well as survival of other organisms like Alligators and birds. However, I donot think that “Python challenge” is a reasonable way to kill or remove Pythons. Because It can threat the lives of many individuals who take part in competition, although they are trained but still they are nor professionals and get training of only few weeks so it is not safe competition.

There should be some strategy of introducing natural predators like Brown beers, Cougars and Alligators which can kill python naturally without staking the life of humans at risk.

Hope it helps!