Guardians of the Glades is a new show that recently began May 28 on the Discovery Channel. For those who are curious, it is centered on the threat posed to one of the United States’s most famous natural regions by an invasive species. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Guardians of the Glades:
1. Follows Dusty Crum
The show is centered on a snake hunter named Dusty Crum, which should provide interested individuals with a fair amount of insight into what kind of creature the invasive species might be. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that while Crum is the most important member of the cast, his team is featured on the show as well, which makes sense because an invasive species isn’t something that a single individual can handle on their own.
2. Set in the Everglades
As for the setting of the show, the name should make it no surprise that the whole thing is situated in the Everglades. In short, the Everglades are a huge stretch of tropical wetlands that can be found in the south of the state of Florida, which can be considered one of the most famous natural regions in the United States. Unfortunately, the Everglades have been under serious threat since at least the late 19th century, seeing as how that was when settlers started draining them for development. It is thought that about 50 percent of the original area of the Everglades has been lost because of agricultural development as well as urban development.
3. The Invasive Species Is the Burmese Python
The invasive species featured on Guardians of the Glades is the Burmese python. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, an invasive species is an introduced species that spreads in a manner that is expected to cause serious damage to either the local environment or to human interests in the local environment. As such, there is a good argument that can be made that the bird called the Japanese white-eye shouldn’t be considered an invasive species in Hawaii because they are now the main pollinator for a considerable number of local species, though it should be mentioned that this has been made possible because other introduced species were responsible for wiping out their pollinating predecessors.
4. The Everglades Are a Very Hospitable Environment for the Burmese Python
Like their name suggests, the Burmese python is native to what is now called the Republic of the Union of Myanmar plus much of both South Asia and Southeast Asia. Due to this, the species is well-suited for living in tropical regions with plenty of water, meaning that they have been able to thrive in the Everglades because the region is very hospitable for them.
5. Burmese Pythons Were Introduced Because of the Pet Trade
The pet trade played a huge role in introducing the Burmese python to the Everglades. In short, Burmese pythons are pretty popular pets, both because of their docile nature and pleasing patterns. Unfortunately, Burmese pythons are still very powerful animals that can reach their adult size within a matter of four years, meaning that there have been a lot of pet owners unprepared for such responsibilities. As a result, a lot of Burmese pythons have been released into the wild, which when combined with various other incidents, have led to the present situation.
6. Burmese Pythons Are Opportunistic Feeders
Burmese pythons are big animals, as shown by how wild specimens tend to reach about 12 feet in length. Even worse, they are excellent climbers and swimmers, meaning that they pose a threat to everything from Florida panthers to a wide range of Floridian bird species. On top of this, Burmese pythons are opportunistic feeders, meaning that they will eat even when they are already full.
7. Burmese Pythons Have Established a Breeding Population
With that said, the real problem is that it seems that Burmese pythons have managed to establish a breeding population in the Everglades. Essentially, this means that they are numerous enough to keep the species going in the region even without fresh additions via irresponsible pet owners, meaning that the problem won’t go away on its own.
8. Crum Is a Bounty Hunter
Floridians have launched various efforts to keep the numbers of Burmese pythons under control by catching them. As stated earlier, Crum is a snake hunter, meaning that he is pretty much working as a bounty hunter for Burmese pythons.
9. Crum States that Catching Burmese Pythons Is Challenging Because of Their Camouflage
Crum has stated that one of the biggest challenges to catching Burmese pythons is how their patterns enable them to blend into their surroundings. Something that is particularly true when a Burmese python is lying still rather than moving about. As a result, his profession isn’t something well-suited for people without a considerable measure of patience.
10. Crum Hates It When the Burmese Python Is In Water
It is interesting to note that Crum particularly hates it when a Burmese python is in the water rather than out on the land. In part, this is because catching a Burmese python in the water means that interested individuals will have to go out into the water, which comes with a fair amount of risk because that means coming to grips with a very powerful animal that happens to be much, much more adapted for said conditions than humans. However, it should also be noted that the water makes it difficult to see the exact movements of the Burmese python, which is a huge issue because the species is like other animals in that their movements can reveal a fair amount of information about their state of mind as well as their immediate intentions. On land, Crum can read these movements to a degree; in the water, he is hindered to a considerable extent.
Follow Us
