Read the following passage and then answer the questions.

Question

Pythons that were purchased as pets and then became too much for their owners to handle have been released in Florida. This is not a small problem; pythons have been very successful at reproducing in Florida, and some scientists estimate that there could be more than 100,000 pythons in the state. They are skilled predators and are disrupting the ecosystem by eating too much prey. They don’t have any natural predators that kill them. Florida hunters are encouraged to kill pythons to try to reduce the number of pythons that are loose in the wild.

a. Based on the information in the passage, how should pythons be classified in the U.S.?

(1 point)
Responses

native species
native species

indigenous species
indigenous species

invasive species
invasive species

unsuccessful species

Answer 1

Based on the information in the passage, pythons should be classified in the U.S. as invasive species. This classification is appropriate because they were introduced into the environment by humans, have established a population, and are disrupting the local ecosystem.

Answer 2

b. Which of the following steps should be part of a comprehensive solution to reduce the impact of pythons?
Should Be Part of the Solution Should NOT Be Part of the Solution

Pet stores should release their extra pythons into the local swamps.

Wildlife experts and hunters should work together to remove as many pythons as possible.

People who have pythons as pets should not release them into the wild.

Scientists and conservationists should work to develop traps that will catch pythons but not other species.

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