Burmese pythons in Florida's Everglades are now understood to be indirectly spreading plant seeds by consuming birds and mammals that eat fruit. This secondary seed dispersal means the invasive snakes may be altering the region's natural landscape and plant distribution in ways previously unrecognized by scientists.

Burmese pythons have already earned a reputation as one of Florida's most destructive invasive species, wiping out populations of native mammals and disrupting ecosystems across…

Burmese pythons in Florida's Everglades are now understood to be indirectly spreading plant seeds by consuming birds and mammals that eat fruit. This secondary seed dispersal…