As part of the Burmese python control program, specialists from the South Florida Water Management District have deployed about 120 "robo-rabbits." They are programmed to closely resemble marsh rabbits: emitting heat, moving, and even producing scent — all to create the illusion of live prey.
Rabbits are placed in small enclosures equipped with cameras and sensors. When a python appears, the system sends a signal, and a team of snake catchers rushes to the alarm site.
The python problem in Florida is longstanding and serious. This non-native species, brought from Asia as an exotic pet, has spread through swamps and waterways without encountering natural resistance. Ecologists claim that pythons have wiped out up to 95% of the small mammal population and significantly reduced bird numbers.
The main difficulty is detecting and capturing the snake. Pythons camouflage themselves well, lie in wait, and avoid surveillance cameras. Previous attempts to use live rabbits as bait proved too expensive and impractical. Robots have become a more practical solution. The cost of one is about $4,000.
How effective the method will be remains unknown, but the initial results are cautiously optimistic.
Pythons have settled in Florida's subtropical swamps after escaping from private homes or being released by people when they became too large to keep. The exact population size is unknown: estimates range from several tens of thousands to 300,000 individuals. These snakes have virtually no natural enemies in Florida, and their fertility is impressive: a female can lay between 50 and 100 eggs at a time, with incubation lasting 60–90 days.
According to the wildlife commission, more than 23,000 pythons have been removed from the ecosystem since 2000. Robo-rabbits have become the latest attempt to control these snakes, which can reach lengths of 3 to 5 meters as adults and have a very good appetite.
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