Invasive Burmese pythons are a scourge upon South Florida. These massive snakes are one of the region’s most pernicious pests, posing a significant risk to local biodiversity as they chow down on native wildlife. Burmese pythons were introduced to Florida through the exotic pet trade in the 1970s and are now among the state’s top […]
Scientists Discover Secret Weapon That Allows Pythons to Digest Bones
Pythons are notorious for their eating habits. After suffocating their prey with their lithe bodies, these large snakes swallow the animal whole. Now, researchers have shed new light on the cellular mechanisms that allow them to digest entire skeletons. The study, presented July 9 at the Society for Experimental Biology Annual Conference in Belgium and […]
Man Bitten by 200 Snakes Helps Scientists Create a Super Antivenom
There really is a purpose for everyone out there. Scientists seem to have developed the most broadly effective snake antivenom seen yet—an antivenom partly derived from the antibodies of a man bitten by snakes hundreds of times. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the company Centivax detailed their work in a study published […]
Australian Man Horrified to Discover 102 Snakes Living in His Yard
An Australian man’s recent discovery of snakes in his backyard turned out to be more than he bargained for. Local animal wranglers reported retrieving over 100 venomous red-bellied black snakes from the man’s premises. Cory Kerewaro, owner of Reptile Relocation Sydney, detailed the scaly scary tale on his company’s Facebook page earlier this week. According […]