{"id":120688,"date":"2021-06-09T16:31:25","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T20:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688//?p=120688"},"modified":"2021-06-09T16:44:59","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T20:44:59","slug":"florida-python-hunters-may-have-a-new-tool-thanks-to-optics-research-at-ucf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688//florida-python-hunters-may-have-a-new-tool-thanks-to-optics-research-at-ucf/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688//","title":{"rendered":"Florida Python Hunters May Have a New Tool Thanks to Optics Research at 166su"},"content":{"rendered":"
Just as the governor announced the start of python hunting season in Florida this month, researchers at the 166su have published a first- of-its-kind study that shows that near-infrared (NIR) spectrum cameras can help hunters more effectively track down these invasive snakes, especially at night./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688/n
The snakes, which can reach 26 feet in length and 200 pounds, have invaded the Everglades in Florida /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688/u2014 threatening native species and disrupting the ecosystem. The number of common native species observed in the Everglades since the snakes were first discovered in the 1990s dropped in some species by 90% through 2010, according to an earlier study. Since then, the state has been implementing mitigation strategies and encouraging residents to hunt down the massive snakes. On average snakes removed from the Everglades are about eight feet long, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688/n
The new study found that by using NIR cameras, pythons could be detected 20 percent farther away than with visible cameras. Researchers say that with more work they may be able to develop an automated snake detection system. That could be a game changer especially since the pythons are marching northward and could threaten native species as far north as Virginia and Texas to the west./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/120688/n