What Do You Do? Invasive Species

[Mesquite]

Juveniles. Pythons grow very very quickly, and in no time are too big even for the largest of King's. King cobras feed almost exclusively on other snakes, even their own.

Interesting, learnt something new today

That's one brave man to be handling that

This is not a big one...

 

[santaman2000]

We're not outside nature. We like to think we are, but we're part of it.

I'd be the last to disagree with that. And I take your point that our actions are also part of natural evolution. But you have to agree that we've evolved to a point where our actions cause change too swiftly to be counterbalanced by other natural factors as would otherwise happen.

 

[mountainm]

I'd be the last to disagree with that. And I take your point that our actions are also part of natural evolution. But you have to agree that we've evolved to a point where our actions cause change too swiftly to be counterbalanced by other natural factors as would otherwise happen.

Only from our very limited point of reference. It'll all even itself out given time.

 

[santaman2000]

Catch it

I imagine a snake that size would be desirable as skin, meat or a pet.

Keeping snakes as pets is how we got to the problem of having Pythons here in the first place.

 

[santaman2000]

Only from our very limited point of reference. It'll all even itself out given time.

LOL. If by "in time" you mean when we finally evolve ourselves to extinction, yes. But the point is we want to avoid that.

 

[mountainm]

LOL. If by "in time" you mean when we finally evolve ourselves to extinction, yes. But the point is we want to avoid that.

...but we won't.

My point is there's a vast universe out there. We, on our little blue marble are probably akin to termites on a termite mound contemplating our impact on the vastness of the plain....

Thing go extinct, things evolve. In the grand scheme of things we selfishly destroy and we selfishly protect.

 

[JonathanD]

King cobra's are a species of snake separate from all the others. They are the only snake that growls or barks, and apart from the black mamba, are the only species that show a higher level of intelligence. Speaking from experience, and these snakes are my speciality, I am in awe of them. They are the only snake that look at your hands and back to your eyes when assessing you, and they do this all the time. Other snakes look only at the head as that is where the danger comes from in terms of teeth and beaks of animals that pose a threat. King cobra's have learned that humans pose a different threat and that the hands pose as much threat as the head, and that the head can give away what the hands may do. They assess and calculate, no other snake does this. In fact they go one step further and look at the hand and the object in the hand.

This is worth checking out....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCNJiXnYBVI

 

[Harvestman]

I have seen that before, but it is great to watch it again. the way the snake looks away from the camera to the person holding it is something very few animals would do, even birds or mammals. Gorgeous thing.

I can't help but imagine the panic responses you would get from the authorities to a loose King Cobra.

 

[JonathanD]

I've caught a few... er.. non native species in the UK. Quite a lot of venomous ones too, but never a King. Not even the illegal breeders and captive sellers will mess with them.

 

[mountainm]

Wrong thread, wrong time, wrong place.

 

[boatman]

Santaman, you say you carry a sidearm. Then blow away any python you see perhaps.

 

[santaman2000]

Santaman, you say you carry a sidearm. Then blow away any python you see perhaps.

That's generally what I do with all snakes other than King Snakes. And Florida opened the Everglades to Python hunting especially for them. That said, we can't seem to kill enough of them (Pythons) fast enough to make a real dent. Just like feral hogs and coyotes.

But I asked what would YOU do?

 

[Mesquite]

That's generally what I do with all snakes other than King Snakes. And Florida opened the Everglades to Python hunting especially for them. That said, we can't seem to kill enough of them (Pythons) fast enough to make a real dent. Just like feral hogs and coyotes.

But I asked what would YOU do?

Exactly what you'd do if I had the firepower

 

[Tomcoles]

Call ghost busters or go to the local pub and exaggerate it's size


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bambodoggy]

Am I the only one who's also well impressed with the snakes road safety awareness? I see mums with pushchairs and kids on bikes not to mention earphone wearing joggers that don't have the sence to travel along the side of a busy road well out of harms way like this clever snake is doing. I'll bet it's not long until they have learned to press the button and wait for the green light before they cross lol

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Step backwards slowly and careful, until out of striking distance, then turn and Run, FAST! Just looking at the photos is making my skin crawl Am fine with spiders (I welcome false widow spiders into my home), but snakes scare the **** out of me. Just the sight of them, YARHG! *shudder*.

Julia

 

[kennyboy]

King cobra's are a species of snake separate from all the others. They are the only snake that look at your hands and back to your eyes when assessing you, and they do this all the time. They assess and calculate, no other snake does this. In fact they go one step further and look at the hand and the object in the hand

Health & Safety gone mad. They even have a snake doing risk assesment. What's next? High viz and hard hat?