Enter the University of Florida team. Instead of relying on old-school methods, these researchers, led by wildlife ecologist Robert McCleery, tried something wild: robot rabbits. 

Not just any stuffed toys, these are solar-powered, rigged with internal motors and heaters to mimic the movements and body warmth of marsh rabbits, a favorite snake snack. The team released 40 of these mechanical bunnies around South Florida this month. The goal is simple: copy everything about a real rabbit that might catch a python’s attention, without the headache of caring for living bait.

And these robot rabbits aren’t just cute decoys; they’re high-tech spies. They have fitted each robot rabbit with a motion-sensor camera. The instant a python slithers in for a closer look, the researchers get an alert.

Mike Kirkland, who leads efforts against invasive animals for the South Florida Water Management District, summed it up: getting a noticeable number of pythons to approach these robot rabbits would be a real win, especially since these snakes are such experts at staying out of sight.

Of course, there’s a final touch if the robots don’t quite fool the snakes at first. Researchers are ready to spritz them with rabbit scent. Sometimes, you need a little perfume to seal the deal.

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