If it’s scaly, slippery, slimy and cold-blooded, chances are University professor emeritus Whit Gibbons has studied it. In the case of Burmese pythons advancing north of the Everglades, Gibbons and researchers are closely examining the situation.

“We’ll never really know how Burmese pythons established themselves in the Everglades,” Gibbons said in a phone interview Monday. “Some people think pet owners who released pythons into the wild were the cause, while others think the snakes were accidentally released when Hurricane Andrew hit the state in the 1990s. Either way, we’ll never be able to tell because current populations are so genetically diverse.”

The Everglades are now home to tens of thousands of the Burmese snakes, and populations are expanding north toward the Florida peninsula because of favorable climates and food sources, Gibbons said.

Though the snakes do not pose much of a threat to humans, Florida National Park Service officials are concerned about the effects these 10- to 20-foot reptiles will have on native wildlife.

To test the latitudes and climates in which the snakes can survive, Gibbons – ecologist and head of the Environmental Outreach and Education program at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory in Aiken, S.C. – said he and other scientists at the lab are collaborating with several organizations to research Burmese pythons’ adaptability and behavior in environments with cooler winter climates.

The U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Florida, Davidson College and Florida’s National Park Service are all collaborators in the project.

In June, the team collected 10 male pythons from the Everglades and brought them to the University’s lab in South Carolina. The pythons are housed in a snake-proof enclosure with a pond, burrows and plenty of vegetation to hide in.

Before the study, each snake was surgically implanted with a radio transmitter for location purposes. A device that records the snake’s body temperature each hour was also implanted.

Researchers reduced the possibility of the snakes’ reproducing – in the event one escaped – by only using male pythons, Gibbons said.

As temperatures drop this winter, scientists will closely observe the snakes behavioral reactions. If the species fares through the winter, the results will provide insight into how these pythons could possibly migrate to and survive in Georgia and other Southeastern states.

Michael Dorcas, a Davidson College biology professor involved in the research, said the Burmese python is a successful invasive species in Florida.

“We don’t know which variables allow the snakes to survive,” Dorcas said in a phone interview Wednesday. “These snakes have been documented living in more temperate areas that sometimes freeze in the winter. There are reasons to expect that there is a probability they can survive north of Florida.”

Dorcas said the issue raises larger questions of conservation management. Because the pythons are often hidden, eradicating the snakes in Florida would be nearly impossible, he said.

On the other hand, people could learn from the situation in Florida.

“The study may affect how decision-makers treat the issue,” he said. “Right now, it is not illegal to release a Burmese python into the environment in the state of South Carolina. If we find that the snakes can survive here, things may change.”

In addition, Dorcas said he and other researchers are interested in how the snakes practice thermoregulation – or maintain an internal temperature despite the extremes of outside temperatures.

J.D. Willson, a University postdoc who studied under Gibbons and Dorcas, said he is interested in how the snakes use their habitat for survival – specifically by submerging in water or burrowing in holes to avoid freezing.

“Our study is the first direct test of how these snakes will do in cold water,” Willson said in a phone interview Thursday. “We’ve talked to everyone from snake biology specialists in Southeast Asia to people in the herpetology pet industry, and there are a wide range of opinions about whether the snakes will survive.”

Willson said Gibbons gave him crucial opportunities to further his experience in the field.

“I’ve known Whit for five years and still learn new things from him every day,” Willson said. “He is absolutely selfless in promoting students and helping them in any way.”

Gibbons also promotes science outreach and education. He said the Burmese python situation is a perfect example of how scientific topics can attract public interest.

“This type of research is meaningful and fun,” Gibbons said. “That’s the way science should be.”