By Laurin Penland
Wilmington, NC – A North Carolina researcher has inserted transmitters into Burmese Pythons to see if they can survive in mildly, cold temperatures. The invasive snakes are on the loose in the Florida Everglades, and there's concern that they could make their way to the Carolinas.
There's a concern that the Burmese Pythons diet of species native to Florida, such as the white tailed deer, could harm the ecosystem.
A study out of the US Geological Survey says pythons could survive in the colder Carolinas.
Davidson College researcher Michael Dorcas is tracking ten Burmese Pythons to find out.
"We don't have evidence of them impacting ecosystems, but by the time that can be shown to be true, that means they will have probably already severely impacted ecosystems."
A bill pending on Capitol Hill could cripple the billion-dollar Python pet trade by making it illegal to buy or sell them, or transport them across state lines.
Python lovers say there needs to be more research before banning the snakes, while animal activists say the Burmese Python needs to be stopped before it does more damage to local ecosystems.
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