A.J. Sanjar–a field biologist who’s conducted research with significant implications for reducing the Florida
population of the Burmese python, often-massive snakes with few natural predators, an apex invasive species in areas like the Florida Everglades. He recalls growing up in Austin, loving to be outside amidst nature and animals. Recognizing that, over the years, Sanjar clearly reflected an ongoing passion for spending time in the wilderness, and exploring critters of all kinds, his older brother recommended he apply to Texas State University, known for its field biology program. He did, got accepted, and loved it. Research projects quickly followed. Including a trek to Ecuador, where he participated in a fascinating study of frogs and if/when the species transforms at various altitudes. Yet another project, he said, examined snake fungal disease. But his chief research project—he did his Master’s Thesis on it, as a grad student at Southern Illinois University—involves Sanjar and his colleagues using possums fitted with VHF collars to track, then locate the elusive pythons. (This was an extension, Sanjar explains, of a research project by another SIU grad student, Kelly Crandall, who in a study more focused on raccoons and
opossums, yielded inadvertent results involving the opossums being consumed by pythons.) The team can follow the signals when an opossum is swallowed whole by a python, leading team members or others to the location of these massive snakes, which can then be removed. The research continues presently, beyond Sanjar’s work that resulted in his Master’s, and he indicates that he’ll be publishing his thesis soon. Burmese Pythons certainly continue to capture people’s imagination, the snakes’ capture remains the focus of all kinds of efforts, small and large. We’re a little over a month away from the annual Florida Python Challenge, a competition whereby contestants capture and kill pythons—following strict guidelines—for prize money!
COMEDY CORNER: Dusty Slay’s “Trailer Park Pets” (https://dustyslay.com/)
MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Junk’s “Burmese Python,” instrumentals
NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play “Name That Animal Tune” today.
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