Officials in Florida quietly launched a secret project, pouring millions into a last-ditch effort. They sent hundreds of robotic rabbits into the heart of the Everglades. Each machine was built to mimic a live rabbit, from its body heat to its unique scent, all to trap the pythons that have destroyed the ecosystem. But the swamp doesn't follow human rules. The robots worked... too well. They didn't just find the pythons. They found something else. And what happened next is, frankly, insane. Florida Released Robotic Rabbits to Kill Pythons — What Happened Next Is INSANE
Burmese pythons, one of the world’s largest snakes, are also one of the most problematic invasive species in South Florida. First spotted in the Florida Everglades in the 1970s, the snakes were introduced, either accidentally or intentionally, through the exotic pet trade. Since then, pythons have become top predators in the local food ecosystem. Despite the fact that they now exist throughout much of South Florida, they remain difficult to track down. That means researchers and conservationists need to find creative ways to lure them out into the open. And by creative, we mean As reported by The Palm Beach Post, researchers led by UF professor of wildlife ecology and conservation Robert McCleery have released 40 solar-powered, remote-controlled robot bunnies in South Florida this month. The researchers replaced the plush toy’s stuffing with motors and heaters to imitate the motions and body temperatures of one of pythons’ favorite snacks: marsh rabbits ( “We want to capture …