Florida Deploys Robotic Rabbits to Lure Invasive Burmese Pythons

The University of Florida and the South Florida Water Management District are testing robotic rabbits as a novel way to lure invasive Burmese pythons. Each unit is built from a stuffed toy rabbit, but its filling is removed to make room for a 99-degree heating pad, twitching ears, rabbit scent, and vibrating feet. These features mimic a live rabbit's heat, sound, and movement.

Solar-powered decoys cost about $4,000 apiece. So far, researchers have deployed roughly 120 across the Florida Everglades, where invasive snakes have devastated native wildlife. The snakes are notoriously difficult to detect in the vast wetland, and current removal methods rely heavily on visual surveys.

The effort is still in testing, and the team is evaluating whether robotic rabbits can draw pythons into areas where they can be detected or captured. The decoys are designed to exploit the python's hunting instincts and could help wildlife managers improve removal efforts.