'E's got 'UUGE sharrp... It can leap abou--... LOOK AT THE BONES!!!"

[Montauk6]

‘Robo-Bunnies’ Are the Newest Weapon in the Fight Against Invasive Burmese Pythons in Florida
Scientists are experimenting with robotic rabbits in hopes of luring the destructive snakes out of hiding so they can be euthanized


Wildlife biologists in Florida are doing everything they can to eradicate invasive Burmese pythons, from hosting public hunting challenges and hiring bounty hunters to affixing tracking devices to male “scout” snakes that can lead them to large, reproductive females.

Now, they’ve come up with an innovative new tool to help battle the destructive snakes: robotic rabbits.

Scientists at the University of Florida are deploying the so-called “robo-bunnies” throughout South Florida in hopes of drawing Burmese pythons out of their hiding places so they can be euthanized, reports Kimberly Miller for the Palm Beach Post. By luring the pythons to the rabbit look-alikes, biologists can save time that might otherwise be spent searching through the swamp for the snakes.

The animatronic rabbits are outfitted with motors and internal heaters that are designed to replicate the behaviors and body temperatures of live marsh rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris), which Burmese pythons love to eat.

Mo'... https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/robo-bunnies-are-the-newest-weapon-in-the-fight-against-invasive-burmese-pythons-in-florida-180987018/?is_pocket=1&utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us