Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
The concept of "Florida Man" has become ubiquitous by now, but what about "Florida Robot?" Or, to be more exact, "Florida Rabbit Robot"? This entity might not get into as many misadventures as its human counterpart, but it does have some interesting stories to tell about, well, hunting snakes.
In a recent post on Instagram, the South Florida Water Management District explained why it was now working with small, cuddly robots. "These solar-powered decoys may look cute, but they're packing serious tech, emitting heat and scents that lure pythons in the Everglades," the agency explained. "Cameras inside the bots detect snake activity and alert District staff so the invasive predator can be safely captured."
The robot rabbit program represents a collaboration between the SFWMD and the University of Florida. As The Guardian explained in a 2024 article, Burmese pythons have become a signficant threat to wildlife in Florida. Why? Well, for starters there's the size of the snakes in question: they can grow up to 20 feet and can eat almost anything smaller than they are, including deer. The article notes that in the Everglades, they've become the apex predator -- and that's a problem for the ecosystem there.
In an article for the Associated Press, Curt Anderson and Cody Jackson went into more detail about the robotic foray into wildlife management. Anderson and Jackson report that this summer, the program involved the use of 120 robot rabbits and followed an earlier iteration that employed live bunnies instead.
This isn't the only way that state and local agencies are working to track down Burmese pythons. There's also the Florida Python Challenge, which was held most recently in July. Participants in the event removed 294 pythons from the area this year, making a grand total of 1,400 removed at all such events.
At the time, the chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission addressed the importance of these efforts. "With over 1,400 pythons removed during all Florida Python Challenge events to date and over 16,000 pythons removed by FWC and South Florida Water Management District contractors since 2017, collective efforts are the key to continue addressing the threats Burmese pythons pose to Florida's native wildlife and ecosystems," Rodney Barreto said in a statement.
It turns out sometimes, those collective efforts require furry robots, too.