Tracking Pythons

January 1, 2020
Scientists wrestle 100-pound snakes, wade through swamps, perform delicate surgery, and fly in small planes searching for Burmese pythons hiding and multiplying in southern Florida. The baleful python on the cover will draw readers in, and Messner's recurring descriptions of the snake-catchers in action will keep them engaged. She introduces the team from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida with an account of a tracking expedition. She explains why South Florida is a "perfect home" for these large predators and how the scientists capture snakes, implant radio transmitters, release them, and then follow them in the wild to find other pythons. She notes their affection for the snakes as well as their sadness that part of their job involves euthanizing females in an effort to keep this invasive apex predator from eating nearly everything else living in the delicate Florida ecosystem. She places this campaign in the context of worldwide efforts against invasive species. Well-captioned photographs, maps, and diagrams break up the text and add information. Videos of some of the episodes described are available via QR codes scattered throughout. In a page of profiles of the participating scientists (two men, two women, all apparently white), all four are shown holding huge snakes. This fascinating example of field biology holds its own against the exemplary Scientists in the Field series. Who knew that snake science could be so adventurous? (author's note, invasive species most wanted list, timeline, glossary, source notes, bibliography, further reading, index, photo acknowledgments) (Nonfiction. 9-14)

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March 1, 2020

Gr 4-8-Ever dreamed of wading through bushes and vines in search of an 11-foot snake, specifically a Burmese python? This book takes readers into the thick of South Florida's fragile ecosystem and follows scientists on their mission to study and help control the population of this invasive species. It is predicted that as many as 300,000 of these snakes live in the wild, where they are wreaking havoc on the native population. Messner has collected wonderful diagrams and photographs to help illustrate the importance of the work of these scientists. The layout provides sidebars that discuss topics such as a python's body structure, how the scientists' tracking system works, and "How to Catch a Python." The book is broken into seven chapters. Each focuses on a particular aspect of the scientists' process and research methods. One series of photographs shows a snake and its last meal-a full-size deer. An extensive bibliography and suggested further reading are included. VERDICT Messner's well-written and -documented book will fascinate any nature lover, but younger readers who love snakes will be thrilled.-Erin Olsen, Hunter College Elementary School, NY

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2020
Grades 4-8 As Burmese pythons thrive in south Florida, they decimate native wildlife and disrupt the natural ecosystem. Scientists speculate that this invasive species was introduced by pet owners who no longer wanted or could care for these snakes. Florida's climate, swamps, and plentiful food provide the perfect breeding ground for the pythons, whose numbers have become a staggering, unmanageable problem. Veteran children's author Messner was curious to learn more about the python problem and what was being done to control their growing numbers. In this photo-rich examination, she heads to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, where researchers are busy locating pythons (easier said than done), inserting transmitters in male snakes, euthanizing females and small snakes, and destroying eggs when they find them. She accompanies python project manager Ian Bartoszek and his crew on their daily treks into the swamps and observes their work in the lab. Messner's compelling photo-essay gives an inside look at the researchers' hot, dirty, grueling (and often frustrating) work and offers an extensive bibliography for further research.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)