Burmese Pythons invade the Florida Everglades Sightings of medium-sized mammals are down by as much as 99 per cent in areas where the giant constricting snake native to Asia is known to slink, according to scientific research published this week. The growing concern is that the deadly snakes, that can live for up to 35 years and were originally brought to the Sunshine State for commerical reasons, are now quite at homein the wild and are having a devastating effect on the survival chances of other animals living in America's largest eco-system. Partial to rabbit, opossum, raccoon, bobcat, birds and even the odd alligator, the Burmese Pythons are believed to have multiplied at such a rate that it is now a question of management rather than elimination for South Florida snake hunters who are trying to protect the world's largest wetlands system from a food chain crisis. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Scientists, says: "These findings suggest that predation by pythons has resulted in dramatic declines in mammals within Everglades National Park and that introduced apex predators, such as giant constrictors, can exert significant top-down pressure on prey populations. Severe declines in easily observed and/or common mammals, such as raccoons and bobcats, bode poorly for species of conservation concern, which often are more difficult to sample and occur at lower densities. Pythons can lay anywhere from eight to 100 eggs per year, with reproduction taking place every two years. In 2009, Florida senator Bill Nelson famously illustrated the threat in dramatic fashion when he unrolled the skin of a 16 ft Burmese python in front of a Washington subcommittee considering his bill to ban the import of some exotic species. "The crown jewel of our national park system has been transformed into a hunting ground for these predators," he declared. It's just a matter of time before one of these snakes gets to a visitor. The problem has become so serious that Florida officials have set up hotline 1-888-IveGot1 and website designed to help the public identify the snake. The problem is, as one snake hunter says, is "you can be standing right on top of one of the animals with grass six inches tall and see not see them. It's amazing. It's a testament to their ability to survive.