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Florida Nature Conservancy Scientist Kris Serbesoff-King called the drastic loss of common mammals in the Everglades due to Burmese pythons, reported by the Florida Academy of Sciences, “really scary” and worries about the repercussions for all wildlife and for Everglades restoration.

The Nature Conservancy not only trains responders through the Python Patrol to capture pythons in an effort to contain the spread but is also working with national partners to develop U.S. policies designed to fend off the next big invasion.

“Right now imported species are innocent until proven guilty,” Serbesoff-King said. “As a nation, we need to focus on pre-importation screening -- that is to say looking at what will likely be a small number of non-native imported wildlife that could go on to be harmful to the lands and waters life depends on.”

Nature Conservancy scientists for years have been working on “risk assessments” for plants and animals coming into the U.S., a series of questions that determines an import’s probable impact on native species. It’s already been shown with plants that accurate results are possible with little interruption to trade.

“For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has just started in the right direction for plants,” she said. “There is no pre-screening right now for wildlife.”

The Florida Academy of Sciences report, called The Effect of Burmese Pythons on the Mammals of South Florida, was released Monday.

“Prevention is critical as this report clearly shows,” Serbesoff-King said. “We have to figure out what the next Burmese python could be. Unfortunately, it might already be out there.”