Latest news with #UniversityOfFlorida
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
Robo-Bunnies Are the Latest Weapon Against Florida's Invasive Pythons
Invasive Burmese pythons are a scourge upon South Florida. These massive snakes are one of the region's most pernicious pests, posing a significant risk to local biodiversity as they chow down on native wildlife. Burmese pythons were introduced to Florida through the exotic pet trade in the 1970s and are now among the state's top predators. Researchers and conservationists have been working to wrangle the python problem through capture and kill programs but have faced significant challenges. These elusive snakes are masters of camouflage that thrive in semi-aquatic, densely vegetated environments like the Everglades, making it difficult to find them. Now, a team of wildlife ecologists at the University of Florida has developed a new method for luring them out of their hiding places: robo-bunnies. Yes, you read that right. According to a UF statement, assistant professor and ecologist Chris Dutton ripped the stuffing out of 40 plush bunny toys and filled them with motors, heaters, and solar panels to make them mimic real marsh rabbit prey. The robo-bunnies are designed to trick pythons into thinking they're the real deal—or should we say, the real meal. They look like rabbits, move like rabbits, and even exhibit a living rabbit's body temperature. 'We want to capture all of the processes that an actual rabbit would give off,' said Dutton's colleague Robert McCleery, a UF professor of wildlife ecology and conservation who is leading the project, according to The Palm Beach Post. Previous studies showed that live rabbits placed in pens attract about one python per week on average, but it requires too much work to care for multiple rabbit pens spread out across the Everglades, The Palm Beach Post reported. Robo-bunnies require far less maintenance, offering a much less labor-intensive way to lure pythons into the open. Dutton and McCleery began testing their solar-powered, remote-controlled rabbits this month, placing them in pens in various parts of South Florida. Each robo-bunny is equipped with a motion-sensor camera that alerts researchers when a python approaches. If proven effective, this method could make it much easier for wildlife experts to capture these snakes. In recent years, Florida has taken aggressive steps to reduce the python population in the Everglades, including incentivized removal efforts such as the 2024 Florida Python Challenge. During this competition, more than 850 participants eliminated nearly 200 destructive pythons from public lands in South Florida. The grand prize winner, Ronald Kiger, removed 20 pythons and won $10,000. 'Every python that is removed and eliminated is making a difference to protect the Everglades and South Florida's diverse and native wildlife,' the South Florida Water Management District states. These invasive predators pose a significant threat to the Everglades ecosystem, reducing prey that panthers, raptors, bobcats, and other native predators rely on as primary food sources, the district adds. Dutton and McCleery's clever new lure may eventually help reduce the Burmese python's ecological impact, but first, they need data to show that it works. McCleery told Gizmodo that he expects to have that data by November. If the robo-bunnies' lifelike motion and body heat can't fool the snakes, the researchers plan to add rabbit scent to make them even more convincing, according to The Palm Beach Post.
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
Your Nature Photos Are Doing More Science Than You Think
With a smartphone in hand, anyone can be a naturalist. Apps like iNaturalist have surged in popularity over the last 15 years, with millions using them to document wildlife around the world. A new study shows that these observations contribute a deluge of data to scientific research. Use of iNaturalist has skyrocketed since its launch in 2008. This citizen science database now contains more than 200 million observations logged by over 3 million users globally, according to research published Monday, July 28, in the journal BioScience. This study is the first to comprehensively quantify how everyday people are contributing to biodiversity science through iNaturalist, coauthor Corey Callaghan, a global change ecologist at the University of Florida, told Gizmodo. He and his colleagues conducted a review of thousands of research articles, finding that the number of peer-reviewed studies using iNaturalist data surged more than tenfold in the last five years. 'Beyond documenting where species occur, the photos uploaded to iNaturalist offer a rich source of biological information—capturing habitat, species coloration, behavior, and more,' lead author Brittany Mason, data management analyst in Callaghan's research group, told Gizmodo in an email. 'Researchers are increasingly using this imagery data as a valuable source of ecological and behavioral data.' The rise of iNaturalist has ushered in a new era of citizen science. This free app—available for both iOS and Android—allows users to record wildlife observations and share their data with research partners such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Unlike some other apps that use AI to identify species, iNaturalist relies on its vast community of users for this task. 'Humans need to confirm the identification in order for it to go to research grade,' Callaghan said. This collaborative approach produces a wealth of rigorously vetted data that scientists can use to support their research. 'Many iNaturalist contributors aren't scientists by training, but the platform's user-friendly design empowers anyone to meaningfully participate in scientific discovery,' Mason said. Over 3.5 million iNaturalist users are now helping researchers track species ranges, detect invasive species, monitor climate impacts, and even discover new species, according to Callaghan. In 2011, for example, a user in Columbia documented this century's first confirmed record of the Columbian Weasel—an extremely rare species. No one had ever photographed one alive before, and this iNaturalist user's observation contributed to a 2019 study of its distribution in protected areas. The review shows that iNaturalist data have become pervasive in scientific literature, appearing in papers from 128 countries for over 638 taxonomic families. In the face of a global biodiversity crisis, there is an urgent need for cost-effective and efficient methods to document and assess the status of species, the authors state. As of 2022, 211 plant and animal species had gone extinct in the U.S. alone, and 2,288 were threatened or endangered, according to the Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan. As individuals, it's easy to feel powerless in a situation like this. This study shows, however, that citizen science is playing an increasingly important role in efforts to monitor, protect, and conserve species. The exponential growth of iNaturalist observations over the past several years has 'fundamentally shifted' the landscape of biodiversity research, Callaghan said, and it doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. 'Thinking about what's coming five, ten years from now—it's mind-boggling,' Callaghan said. 'We still don't know the potential.
Washington Post
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Football helped Ben Shelton's tennis game. Just don't make a big deal out of it.
To be clear, Ben Shelton does not want to embellish his youth football career. Football was just a hobby for Shelton — and hard to avoid while growing up in the heart of SEC country in Gainesville, Florida, before attending the University of Florida. But the tennis star couldn't help but laugh when the question came up at Wimbledon. In a segment that ended up going viral, a British on-court interviewer described Shelton as a 'quarterbacker.' Shelton jokingly explained what a football looks like to the crowd and confirmed he did indeed play 'quarterback, or quarterbacker, either way.'
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Florida Just Deployed 40 Robot Bunnies to Trick the Worst Predator in the Everglades
Florida's Burmese python problem isn't going away anytime soon. The researchers, snake trackers, and other conservationists working to remove the giant snakes will be the first to tell you that eradicating this invasive species isn't a realistic goal. That hasn't kept them from trying to manage the problem, though, and scientists are now working on a new and futuristic approach to finding and removing pythons: robotic bunny rabbits. Researchers at the University of Florida are hoping these robo-bunnies can be another tool in the python toolbox, similar to the highly successful scout-snake method that has been honed by wildlife biologists at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Only instead of using GPS-collared male pythons to lead them to the females, trackers would use the robots to bring the invasive snakes to them. These are stuffed toys that have been retro-fitted with electrical components so they can be remotely controlled. The robots also have tiny cameras that sense movement and notify researchers, who can then check the video feed to see if a python has been lured in. The University's experiments with robotic rabbits are ongoing, according to the Palm Beach Post, and the research is being funded by the South Florida Water Management District — the same government agency that pays bounties to licensed snake removal experts and hosts the Florida Python Challenge every year. 'Our partners have allowed us to trial these things that may sound a little crazy,' wildlife ecologist and UF project leader Robert McCleery told the Post. 'Working in the Everglades for ten years, you get tired of documenting the problem. You want to address it.' McCleery said that in early July, his team launched a pilot study with 40 robotic rabbits spread out across a large area. These high-tech decoys will be monitored as the team continues to learn and build on the experiment. (As one example, McCleery explained that incorporating rabbit scents into the robots could be worth consideration in the future.) Read Next: These Snake Trackers Have Removed More than 20 Tons of Invasive Pythons from Florida… and They're Just Getting Started The idea of using bunnies as decoys made sense for the team at UF, since rabbits, and specifically marsh rabbits, are some of the favorite prey items for Burmese pythons. Recent studies (including one authored by McCleery) have shown the massive declines in the Everglades' marsh rabbit populations that can be directly attributed to pythons. 'Years ago we were hearing all these claims about the decimation of mesomammals in the Everglades. Well, this researcher thought that sounded far-fetched, so he decided to study it,' says Ian Bartoszek, a wildlife biologist and python tracker based in Naples. 'So, he got a bunch of marsh rabbits, put [GPS] collars on them, and then he let them go in the core Everglades area … Within six months, 77 percent of those rabbits were found inside the bellies of pythons. And he was a believer after that.' Solve the daily Crossword
Sustainability Times
16-07-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'This Cat Saved My Life': Black Feline Leads Scientists to Hidden Human Virus That Could Rewrite Modern Medical Science
IN A NUTSHELL 🐱 Pepper the Cat played a crucial role in discovering a new virus by catching an Everglades short-tailed shrew. played a crucial role in discovering a new virus by catching an Everglades short-tailed shrew. 🦠 The newly identified virus belongs to the Orthoreovirus genus , known to infect multiple hosts, including humans, with varying severity. , known to infect multiple hosts, including humans, with varying severity. 🔬 Researchers emphasize the importance of vigilance and curiosity-driven science in detecting and understanding emerging pathogens . . 🌍 Pepper's discovery highlights the complex relationship between humans and wildlife, showcasing how nature can inform scientific research. In a fascinating twist of fate, a black cat named Pepper has become an unlikely hero in the world of virology. This feline, often associated with superstition and bad luck, has played a pivotal role in the discovery of a new virus capable of infecting humans. Thanks to Pepper's natural hunting instincts, scientists at the University of Florida have identified a novel pathogen that could significantly impact human health. This discovery highlights the unpredictable ways in which scientific breakthroughs can occur, and it underscores the importance of paying attention to the natural world around us. The Role of Pepper in the Discovery Black cats are often shrouded in myth and mystery, but Pepper defied these stereotypes by contributing to a groundbreaking scientific discovery. Pepper's owner, John Lednicky, a virologist at the University of Florida, was the first to realize the significance of Pepper's catch. The cat had captured an Everglades short-tailed shrew, a small mammal native to Florida. Instead of dismissing the incident, Lednicky saw an opportunity to investigate further. This decision led to the identification of a previously unknown virus from the Orthoreovirus genus, known to infect both animals and humans. Such opportunistic studies, where researchers examine unexpected finds, are not uncommon in science. Lednicky's experience with studying mule deerpox virus transmission made him particularly attuned to the potential significance of Pepper's find. His decision to explore the shrew's viral content underscores the importance of being open to unexpected research opportunities. This discovery was not just serendipitous but also a testament to the value of curiosity-driven science. This Extremely Rare 'Asian Unicorn' Just Had Its Genome Sequenced, and the Results Could Transform Conservation Forever Understanding Orthoreoviruses The newly discovered virus belongs to the Orthoreovirus genus, a group of viruses known for infecting a wide range of hosts, including humans. While many orthoreoviruses result in mild symptoms, such as respiratory or intestinal issues, they have the potential to cause severe illnesses. In some cases, they have been linked to central nervous system diseases, pneumonia, and even encephalitis and meningitis in children. This raises concerns about the potential impact of these viruses on public health. Researchers are still uncovering the full implications of this virus on human health. According to Emily DeRuyter, a University of Florida researcher, orthoreoviruses were initially thought to be 'orphan' viruses—present in mammals but not associated with diseases. However, recent studies have challenged this notion, linking them to various ailments. As such, the discovery of this new virus emphasizes the need for vigilance and further research into orthoreoviruses to understand their potential risks better. 'This Thing Shouldn't Exist': Scientists Stunned as Humanity Witnesses This Deep-Sea Monster Alive for the First Time Ever The Scientific Impact of Pepper's Discovery Pepper's contribution to science doesn't end with this discovery. The cat's previous catch, a mouse, led to the identification of the Gainesville rodent jeilongvirus 1, marking the first time a jeilongvirus had been found in the United States. This virus is part of the paramyxovirus family, known for causing respiratory infections. The discovery of the Gainesville rodent jeilongvirus 1 further underscores the role of wildlife in the emergence of new pathogens. These findings have significant implications for understanding viral evolution and the potential for spillover events. Spillover events occur when viruses jump from animals to humans, often leading to new infectious diseases. As such, Pepper's discoveries highlight the importance of monitoring wildlife for emerging pathogens. The research team's work has already led to the publication of the complete genomic coding sequences for the new orthoreovirus, paving the way for future studies on its impact on both animal and human health. 'This Species Was Gone for 120 Years': Stunning Rediscovery in South America Stuns Scientists and Ignites Conservation Hopes The Broader Implications for Science and Nature The story of Pepper the cat serves as a reminder of the complex relationship between humans, animals, and the environment. While domestic cats have contributed to the extinction of several bird and mammal species, Pepper's contribution to science offers a different perspective. His actions have advanced our understanding of viruses that could pose a threat to human health, illustrating the unexpected ways in which nature can inform scientific research. This discovery also emphasizes the need for continued vigilance in monitoring wildlife for emerging diseases. As John Lednicky stated, 'The bottom line is we need to pay attention to orthoreoviruses, and know how to rapidly detect them.' By studying these viruses and understanding their potential to cause disease, scientists can better prepare for future outbreaks. The research conducted by Lednicky and his team serves as a model for how curiosity and scientific inquiry can lead to unexpected, yet significant, discoveries. As we continue to explore the intersections of wildlife and science, the story of Pepper and the newly discovered virus raises important questions about our relationship with the natural world. How can we balance the need to protect biodiversity with the search for scientific knowledge? And what other secrets does nature hold that could unlock new insights into human health and disease? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.4/5 (20)
