Overview

A plague is spreading throughout the Florida Everglades. The nonnative Burmese python—one of the largest snakes on the planet—is now known to be reproducing freely in the shallow waters of the famed River of Grass. Over the past decade, thousands of pythons have made themselves at home across the landscape. And though scientists work feverishly to learn as much as possible about this unprecedented invader, methods of control remain elusive. Many questions remain in the wake of this troubling discovery. How far north might Burmese pythons venture from the Everglades wilderness? What might their presence mean for the countless birds and mammals—some of them endangered—with which south Florida has become synonymous? And does history seem poised to repeat itself as new, large reptiles are discovered to be thriving in the area's favorable climate? An Everglades naturalist describes how the story unfolding in the Florida Everglades provides new opportunities to revisit our understanding of wilderness and man's place within it.

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9781561645138

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Reviews

Addresses the Everglades python problem with a welcome even-handedness. Larry Perez, a park ranger, offers a nuanced personal narrative of the python explosion. --Times Literary Supplement Well written, nontechnical, fascinating. Highly recommended. - Choice magazine Snake in the Grass is the most comprehensive review of the invasion of Burmese pythons in the Everglades to date, and aptly explains their potential to irreparably alter the dynamics of Everglades ecosystems forever. Burmese pythons, like other nonnative plants and animals, are in Florida to stay.Snake in the Grass outlines counter-invasion strategies like legal reform, to on-the-ground control techniques. The book could not have been more timely. -Roger L. Hammer, author of Everglades Wildflowers and A Falcon Guide to Everglades National Park & the Surrounding Area Snake-eating alligators and alligator-eating snakes might seem like a science fiction story-line, but those battles are playing out in Everglades National Park, where an invasion of non-native pythons threatens to upend a rich and diverse ecosystem that includes the largest tract of wilderness east of the Rockies. Larry Perez skillfully explores this astonishing assault -- the repercussions already tallied and those lying in wait -- in a book that reads almost like fiction but which, sadly, is only too factual. -Kurt Repanshek, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, National Parks Traveler Snake in the Grass is a gripping and factual account of the most dramatic invasion yet in the continental US; it s hard to put down. But it s more than that. Perez depicts the surprising number of invaders in south Florida, the ecosystem-level impacts, and the array of economic forces, politics, and weak regulations that indicate the worst is yet to come. -Daniel Simberloff, Nancy Gore Hunger Professor, University of Tennessee Editor-in-Chief, Biological Invasions Senior Editor, Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions Snake-eating alligators and alligator-eating snakes might seem like a science fiction story-line, but those battles are playing out in Everglades National Park, where an invasion of non-native pythons threatens to upend a rich and diverse ecosystem that includes the largest tract of wilderness east of the Rockies. Larry Perez skillfully explores this astonishing assault -- the repercussions already tallied and those lying in wait -- in a book that reads almost like fiction but which, sadly, is only too factual. -Kurt Repanshek, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, National Parks Traveler Snake in the Grass is a gripping and factual account of the most dramatic invasion yet in the continental US; it's hard to put down. But it's more than that. Perez depicts the surprising number of invaders in south Florida, the ecosystem-level impacts, and the array of economic forces, politics, and weak regulations that indicate the worst is yet to come. -Daniel Simberloff, Nancy Gore Hunger Professor, University of Tennessee Editor-in-Chief, Biological Invasions Senior Editor, Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions

<p> Snake in the Grass is a gripping and factual account of the most dramatic invasion yet in the continental US; it's hard to put down. But it's more than that. Perez depicts the surprising number of invaders in south Florida, the ecosystem-level<br><p>impacts, and the array of economic forces, politics, and weak regulations that indicate the worst is yet to come. <br><p>-Daniel Simberloff, Nancy Gore Hunger Professor, University of Tennessee<br><p>Editor-in-Chief, Biological Invasions<br><p>Senior Editor, Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions

Snake in the Grass is the most comprehensive review of the invasion of Burmese pythons in the Everglades to date, and aptly explains their potential to irreparably alter the dynamics of Everglades ecosystems forever. Burmese pythons, like other nonnative plants and animals, are in Florida to stay.Snake in the Grass outlines counter-invasion strategies like legal reform, to on-the-ground control techniques. The book could not have been more timely. -Roger L. Hammer, author of Everglades Wildflowers and A Falcon Guide to Everglades National Park & the Surrounding Area

Author Information

Larry Perez is a lifelong resident of Miami and has spent more than fifteen years working in south Florida’s natural areas. During his career, he has worked as a naturalist for Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation and as a ranger for Biscayne and Everglades National Parks. Larry is a graduate of Florida International University, where he completed programs in park and recreation management and environmental studies. He is also the author of Words on the Wilderness: A History of Place Names in South Florida’s National Parks and maintains a healthy fascination with lizards and snakes.

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