Will the Florida Panthers become the Florida Pythons?

[Warning: This post is not for the feint of heart;

I'll be discussing snakes and alligators.]

I'm not really one to worry about the environment (I'm a Republican, remember?), but occasionally a story will come along that concerns me. Equal to my fascination with sharks is a complete phobia of snakes. I read an article in National Geographic within the last two years discussing how the ecosystem of the Everglades has been shifting out of balance because of Burmese pythons being dumped there by stupid people when they get too big to be "pets."

Of course Burmese pythons are not native to Florida, and they happen to grow to amazing lengths--something like 26 feet! Think about that for a second; that's almost 3 stories. Can you imagine a snake that is as long as a mall is high (just to put it into terms I can relate to)!? I know with certainty that if I was to run into a 26 foot python while I was vacationing in Florida I would literally drop dead. Instant heart attack. No doubt in my mind.

So I read an article on CNN's website this week that the problem is getting worse. While it was previously believed that alligators would help control the python situation, quite the opposite is happening. The pythons are eating the alligators. That absolutely terrorizes me for some reason. In 100 years, will the pythons have cleaned out the Everglades and be the remaining mascot choice for Florida sports teams? I don't know how marketable the "Florida Pythons" would be...

(Click here if you want to read about a python's
gator grub gone bad.)
[Warning--contains gross picture!]

I'm amazed at how often I find myself thinking about this. I'm concerned enough to want to do something about it. I don't know what I can really do from Buffalo though. I can promise to not get a Burmese python as a pet. But to be honest that was a pledge I made a long time ago, and more for myself than the ecosystem. I can root for the alligators, which I will pledge to do now.

Beyond that, how does a Republican do something about the environment? I'm stumped, but I'm open to suggestions.