Robot rabbits the latest tool in Florida battle to control invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades
August 27, 2025
They look, move and even smell like the kind of furry Everglades marsh rabbit a Burmese python would love to eat. But these bunnies are robots meant to lure the giant invasive snakes out of their hiding spots. It’s the latest effort by the South Florida Water Management District to eliminate as many pythons are possible from the Everglades, where they are decimating native species with their voracious appetites. The robots are simple toy rabbits, retrofitted to have a heat signature, a bunny smell diffuser and natural movement. They are powered by solar panels and can be switched on and off remotely. They are placed in small pens monitored by a video camera that sends out a signal when a python is nearby.