Silver lining in every dark cloud ?

The intense cold this winter has extended into Florida. I wonder if this means that the pythons might be frozen ? Some of them might survive in the cities, but most are likely to wish they were back in Burma or Africa as the case might be.

Drones and Pirates

Here is a link to the use of drones to combat Somali pirates. It is a good article, but fails to mention that a limited number of drones have also been deployed that are capable of accurately shooting the powerful .338 Lapua cartridge. These are typically shot by snipers for especially long range sniping, but putting them aboard a drone provides a significant capability not previously available.

It is sometimes claimed by the pirates that they are forced to take revenge for foreign fishing in their waters. That claim, believed only by gullible westerners, is both false and specious. The pirates are not the people harmed, the ransom money goes to wealthy patrons. Further, the foreign victims of piracy are innocent and are almost never fisherman nor dumpers of pollution. The entire claim is just an excuse for greed by the wealthy patrons. The low level pirates are indeed unemployed otherwise, but so are many people who don't engage in crime.

Trapping Pythons in Florida

Non-native pythons are becoming a problem in Florida. The state has now authorized capture by professional herpetologists, but not using guns, or traps. How they are going to wrestle a 26 foot python is beyond me. It doesn't seem possible. In any case, only 10 hunters are currently allowed.

Here is an idea for catching them. Create cages that are warm. In the winter the pythons will seek warmth. It is already the case that in winter they go to asphalt roads to sun warm themselves. That is how the herpetologists find them.

How to catch a snake peacefully

An old trick for making a grabber for anything I show here in the following picture.



An alternative way to make it is not use a pipe, instead use a stick with another loop tied to the end of it. Insert the rope loop through that loop. Ask the snake to please insert herself into the loop of the rope. If she refuses you know it is probably another pesky male.