I was chatting with a local friend the other day, and he mentioned the discovery and capture of a released pet, a Burmese Python. He claimed it was discovered by consturction workers in the GaoPing River near Foguanshan, but my wife later found a report from Chiayi.
I’m not conversant with the Chinese language media, so I was unable to find answers to my questions.
I did find a link to an article from January (possibly fake news), which reported a 4-meter-long Burmese Python cut in half on a railway line somewhere in PingDong County.
So what’s the skinny, herpetology experts? How common are Burmese Pythons in the wilds of Taiwan? Do these discoveries represent escaped animals, or is there an established breeding population?
In all my years have not found 1 or beard of naturalized populations. There are many released pets down south though. Problems are mostly uneducated population and lack of government effort. Ive heard though that importing many exotic species is now more strictly regulated but thats just heresay not sure on the actual laws.
When populations are found of a pet species, the area is usually ravaged by people collecting them. So things like the vieled chameleon population in Kaohsiung is probably gone now due to popularity and they breeding habits (slow incubation). I imagine burmese pythons dont have much chance either due to huge demand of snakes and their slower maturation time.
For me, the more worrisome problem are thebsame uneducated people buying things like fat tail scorpions for $100 and getting bored. The invertebrate industry poses real threats, not just to the wild and agriculture but to people where no antivenom exists for exotic species that are likely unknown here.
Im on the gaoping now. Will take a picture if i see any of these in the weeds in the river recently liberated from the heavy rains 
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Well Bob’s yer uncle, mate. Have a look at this:
The entire island is a virtual safari park ride of invasive species!
There’s more than Burmese Pythons lurking in the GaoPing Fever Swamps.
Turns out Southern Taiwan has an eradication program for Green Iguanas. I was not hallucinating: On a recent bike ride, a Green Iguana shot past my front wheel and swan-dived into the canal like Greg Louganis!
Here’s something pertinent from the Taipei Dog Trainer
I question the source, but the problem seems to be ongoing.
I always thought Reeves’ turtles were native.
Harry Potter?
The green iguana situation is real. Especialy the last few years the introductions have mature and exploded. Have met with more locals tgere that kep them as garden pets, it was intentional introductions to be sure.
Certain species like vieled chameleons in kaohsiung parks were pretty quickly taken care of because they are expensive. Green iguanas not so much.
But i still call bullshit on burmese pythons being naturalized. Not that they couldnt, but havent seen, heard or read anything meaningful. have seen a few accounts on kinmen, but that is a world apart from Gaoping.
Unlike florida and surround, people here kill snakes on sight. Either for food or dick medicine or just fear. I just cant see 20ft pythons becoming normal sights here. Plus their diet, breeding cycles etc. Iguanas make sense.
All species are invasive. Just let nature take its course.
People worry too much about the animals and too little about the habitat.
Albiet true, you are forgetting certain parts of the pie. Namely, economy.
The issue tends to usually be human introductions and invasiveness. Lots of examples world wide that have caused untol extinctions and diseases. Eg. Rodents, people, mosquitoes, flies, molluscs, fish etc etc.