A Robotic Rabbit is Being Used to Combat Invasive Pythons in the Everglades
Robotic rabbits have been deployed to combat invasive Burmese pythons in Florida’s Everglades, with recently released footage showing the furry contraptions in the field.
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) provided this footage featuring the solar-powered, remote-controlled robots designed to look like rabbits.
According to a local news report, scientists set up 120 of the bots.
In a release, SFWMD wrote that “invasive pythons threaten our precious native ecosystem by preying upon the wildlife that lives there, including wading birds and mammals…Their aggressive predation on native wildlife robs panthers, raptors, bobcats, and other native predators of their primary food sources.”
SFWMD described the robotic robots as an “innovative new tool” and wrote they “produce a heat signature and emit a smell designed to attract pythons.”
They are also equipped with cameras that monitor for the reptile and notify officials when one is detected.
“Once notified, the district can dispatch a python removal agent to the area,” SFWMD wrote.