Joe Rogan Experience #2020 - Python Cowboy

Burmese pythons have wiped out 90–99% of small mammals like raccoons, rabbits, and otters in parts of the Everglades and heavily reduced deer, while increasingly preying on alligators and wading birds.

Mike argues that with broad public participation, better access (airboats, buggies), and dog teams, python populations can be significantly reduced; instead, national park rules, vehicle bans, and limited contractor programs keep efforts shallow and road‑bound.

His dog Otto and others can locate underground pythons and nests that humans almost never find; this season alone his team found more nests than had been found in the state’s entire prior history, stopping dozens of snakes before they hatch.

Florida’s bans on owning iguanas and tegus have prompted some owners to dump animals rather than have them euthanized, eliminating responsible keepers and free removal via the pet trade while leaving only law‑breakers and wild breeders.

Green iguanas undermine foundations, seawalls, levees, and roads with burrows; one small town spent $1.7 million on levee repairs alone, and Miami‑Dade is now comparing iguana spending needs to its mosquito control budget (tens of millions annually).