Snake in the Grass. Larry Perez

This book is dedicated to my grandmother, Caqui, and my parents, Miriam and Ralph, as an admittedly insufficient token of my gratitude for a lifetime of love, generosity, and encouragement. Together, you colored my formative years awash in childhood riches, and, as a grown man, I continue to strike gold with every passing year. Your selfless support has allowed my wildest dreams, and those of my own young family, to take flight.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Inquiries should be addressed to:

Pineapple Press, Inc.

P.O. Box 3889

Sarasota, Florida 34230

www.pineapplepress.com

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Perez, Larry.

Snake in the grass : an Everglades invasion / Larry Perez.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-56164-513-8 (pbk.)

1. Snakes--Florida--Everglades National Park. I. Title.

QL666.O6P3525 2012

597.9609759’39--dc23

2011043280

First Edition

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN 978-1-56164-574-9 (e-book)

Insert and index deleted for e-book purposes

Design by Shé Hicks

Printed and bound in the USA

Rock python images on cover courtesy of Paul Marcellini, www.PaulMarcellini.com

Cover design by Larry Perez

“Snake in the Grass is a gripping and factual account of the most dramatic invasion yet in the continental U.S. 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 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 from legal reform to on-the-ground control techniques. The book could not be more timely.”

—Roger L. Hammer, author of Everglades Wildflowers and A Falcon Guide to Everglades National Park & the Surrounding Area

A narrow Fellow in the Grass

Occasionally rides—

You may have met Him—did you not,

His notice sudden is—

The Grass divides as with a Comb—

A spotted shaft is seen—

And then it closes at your feet

And opens further on—

He likes a Boggy Acre

A Floor too cool for Corn—

Yet when a Boy, and Barefoot—

I more than once at Morn

Have passed, I thought, a Whip lash

Unbraiding in the sun

When stooping to secure it

It wrinkled and was gone—

Several of Nature’s People

I know, and they know me—

I feel for them a transport

Of cordiality—

But never met this Fellow

Attended, or alone

Without a tighter breathing

And Zero at the Bone—

Emily Dickinson, “The Snake,” 1866

Preface

The opinions expressed in the following pages are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any governmental agency, organization, or group with which I have previously maintained, or presently maintain, affiliation. Furthermore, unless otherwise noted in the text, my thoughts and conclusions should not be attributed to any of the individuals who have graciously reviewed portions of this work and provided their comments.

This work is intended solely as an in-depth exploration of an important issue and does not necessarily espouse any particular viewpoint or recommend any specific action. Rather, it is hoped the following pages will present a concise account of relevant topics, spark further dialogue among broader audiences, and help advance constructive solutions that benefit both our global community and environment as a whole.

Acknowledgments

There are a great many people to whom I owe

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