Florida Deploys 120 Robot Rabbits to Combat Invasive Pythons in Everglades

Florida officials are using innovative robot rabbits to detect and capture invasive Burmese pythons, which have severely disrupted the Everglades ecosystem by eliminating 95% of small mammals and thousands of birds. These solar-powered robots mimic the heat, smell, and movements of real marsh rabbits to lure pythons out of hiding, with video cameras alerting crews when snakes approach. The South Florida Water Management District and University of Florida researchers deployed 120 such robots this summer, as previous attempts to use live rabbits proved costly and impractical. Pythons, originally released or escaped pets, reproduce rapidly, with females laying up to 100 eggs every 2 to 3 months, and their population in Florida is estimated to be tens of thousands to as high as 300,000. Efforts to control the population include annual python hunting challenges and removal by contractors once pythons are detected via the robotic lures. The robots cost about $4,000 each and represent the latest tactic in a multi-decade battle to protect native wildlife from these voracious predators.